Hogan's Heroes: Finding the Silver Lining
by Basketballgirl Kaitlin
Summary: After Hogan is critically injured in an explosion accident on a mission, his men must now take on a whole new set of enemies in order to protect themselves and Hogan, when Hochstetter finds evidence that is dangerously close to exposing Stalag 13, and Hogan's secret operation.
1. Chapter 1

_Notice: So, hey guys! This is going to be my last story I post for 'Hogan's Heroes' or any fandom for a while. I will instead be focusing on reading some stories I've been dying to read on here and learning some new techniques from other writers to incorporate into my own writing. I will not be gone forever, but I will be taking some time off, before I come back and write for this site, again. Without further adieu, here's what I hope to be a great finale story for you guys to read, before I take my bonne voyage! _

* * *

It was a nice day out in Stalag 13. Nothing more than clear blue skies and a sparkling sunshine that warmed up the day. Most of the prisoners were outside playing sports and socializing with their friends. There were five prisoners, however, who were not out in the morning sunshine getting fresh air. In barracks two, Peter Newkirk, Louis LeBeau, Andrew Carter, and James 'Kinch' Kinchloe were taking care of their commanding officer and friend, Colonel Robert Hogan, who was recovering from a bad viral case of pneumonia.

As Hogan lay in his bed inside his quarters, his men were out in the main area talking to one another. LeBeau was making Hogan some warm scrambled eggs, as Kinch, Newkirk, and Carter sat at the table talking to one another.

"How much longer do you think it's gonna be, before Colonel can get back to how things were before getting sick?" Carter asked, swirling his coffee around in his cup.

Newkirk took a drag on his cigarette before answering. "Gov'nor seems to be fine, to me, but I won't risk it for at least two more days."

"Still has that nasty cough, though." Kinch said. He took a drink of his coffee.

"The Colonel will be back on his feet in no time. After he has a bite of these scrambled eggs, he'll be out here faster than you can say 'Klink'." LeBeau said, sure of himself.

"If you say so, Louis." Kinch answered back.

LeBeau put scrambled eggs on a plate along with a cup of coffee onto a tray and walked into Hogan's room. He knocked twice then opened the door and smiled at seeing his commanding officer was up in bed reading a book. He was wearing green pajamas with a design in them forming squares.

"How are you feeling, Colonel?" LeBeau asked stepping in.

Hogan put his book down gently to the side of him and smiled. "I'm feeling a lot better, thank you."

"You sound a lot better, too." LeBeau said, as he sat down the tray on Hogan's bed. After that, he sat down besides Hogan's legs and talked to him, as he watched Hogan eat his breakfast. "How's your cough?"

Hogan finished chewing his mouthful of eggs and swallowed before answering. "Still a little deep, but I think I'll be well enough to come out tomorrow, if everything goes well."

"That's wonderful, Colonel! Things haven't been the same around here, since you got sick."

Hogan chuckled softly.

"I haven't exactly been enjoying it myself, either." Hogan answered, softly.

"Oui, Colonel," LeBeau said smiling.

Hogan covered his mouth with the crook of his arm, as he started having a coughing fit. After settling down, LeBeau grabbed a glass of water that was sitting on Hogan's footlocker and handed it to him. He took a drink and handed it back to LeBeau sighing with relief.

"Thanks, LeBeau," Hogan said, softly.

"I wish we could get rid of that cough for you." LeBeau said.

Hogan smiled.

"I know you guys do. Unfortunately, even Wilson can't get rid of it for me. He said my cough would probably last at least another week." The colonel said, sadly.

"Do you want me to make you more of my grandmama's secret family vapor gel to use, Colonel?"

"No, that stuff makes my eyes water and my nose run."

"That means it's working, Colonel."

Hogan smirked and shook his head.

"No, thank you, LeBeau. I might need another batch of these eggs, though." Hogan said, as he took another forkful of eggs.

"Oui, Colonel; glad to see your appetite has returned." LeBeau said, sincere.

Hogan smiled and continued eating his breakfast, as LeBeau left the room.

LeBeau walked out into the main area and sat down smiling besides Carter, Newkirk, and Kinch.

"The Colonel is smiling and making jokes, again." LeBeau said, cheerful.

"Good; he's been sick with this thing for about three weeks, now. Had he still been sick, I think I would've gone bloody crackers." Newkirk answered, taking another drag on his cigarette.

The four men were just starting to speak again, when the fake bunk rose up, and Olsen came out with a piece of paper. He walked over to Kinch and handed him the folded sheet of notepad paper.

"Message from London, Kinch." Olsen said, handing Kinch the piece of paper.

Kinch read over it and sighed shaking his head.

"Tell London message received and acknowledged." Kinch said, sadly.

"On it," Olsen answered, running back to the bunks and closing it.

"What does it say, Kinch?" Newkirk asked.

"London wants us to blow up a ball bearing plant four miles due west from here. The sooner we get rid of it, the better." Kinch answered.

"We can't do a job like that without Colonel. We need everybody in order to execute such a mission." Carter said.

"I know that, Carter; we'll have to take Olsen along, instead. Colonel's still too weak from suffering pneumonia, though."

"I thought Wilson said the pneumonia was gone." Newkirk stated.

"It is gone, but he's still weak from it. Not to mention he has that terrible cough." Kinch remarked.

"I'll talk it over with Colonel." Newkirk said.

"Pierre, you'll make the Colonel worse, if you try to convince him he's well enough to come along." LeBeau cried.

"He'll be furious, if he finds out we kept this from him. Now, if he wishes to come along, I'll be his bodyguard and make sure nothing happens to him." Newkirk said.

"Are you sure that's safe, buddy? What if Colonel starts having trouble breathing?" Carter asked.

"I'll bring along a nebulizer just in case that happens." Newkirk answered.

"If you think he can handle it, Newkirk." Kinch simply said.

"I wouldn't be doing this, if it were any other way. Colonel will be just fine." Newkirk said, then he walked off to talk with Hogan himself. He knocked on Hogan's door twice then entered and closed the door leaving Carter, Kinch, and LeBeau to sit and think for themselves.

"I hope you're right, mon ami." LeBeau answered, softly.

* * *

Newkirk made his way in to see that Hogan had finished his breakfast and had gone back to reading his book. The commanding officer looked up at Newkirk and smiled, then put his book back down to the side of him and wrapped his arms around himself.

"Well, looks like I'm just getting all the visitors, today." Hogan smirked.

"You're quite popular, if I do say so myself, Gov'nor." Newkirk answered, friendly.

Hogan grinned and nodded.

"What brings you in here, Newkirk?" Hogan asked, smiling.

Newkirk closed the door and walked over to Hogan's bed, then sat down on the bottom bunk by Hogan's legs, where Hogan had slept since falling ill with pneumonia.

"Kinch just got a message from London, sir." Newkirk began.

Hogan seemed to perk up, as he grew curious and worried regarding what the message said.

"What did it say, Newkirk?" He asked, intently listening.

"London wants us to blow up a new ball bearing plant, sir, four miles due west from this here's camp. It must be a big enough threat to advance the Germans in winning the war, 'cause they said they want the job done ASAP."

Hogan sighed.

"I suppose Olsen will be coming, then." Hogan began.

"Actually, sir, that's what I came in to talk to you about." Newkirk replied.

Hogan raised an eyebrow.

"Really," Hogan said flat.

"Actually, sir, I was wondering if you would be interested in coming along for when we do this." Newkirk finished.

"Newkirk, I don't know if that's such a good idea. I still have those awful coughing fits. If I had one while there, it could be loud enough that I would put us all in danger."

"Gov'nor, I tell yah I'll be your source of protection. Even bring along a nebulizer just in case. You needn't worry a thing!"

"You say that, which makes me worry."

"We can't do this kinda job without yah, Colonel. Now, had it been any other mission, I would say 'let's go with Olsen and let the Gov'nor get stronger'. We're blowing up a ball bearing plant, however, and according to London, it seems more important than usual. I tell yah I wouldn't let yah out of my site for a second."

Hogan chuckled and gave Newkirk a friendly glare.

"Since when did you become my bodyguard, Newkirk?"

"Since the day yah fell ill, Gov'nor."

Hogan silently chuckled and shook his head.

"Alright, Newkirk; I'll come. Have Kinch, LeBeau, and Carter meet me in here after lunch. We'll discuss plans then. I wanna get some reading done in the meanwhile."

"No problem, Colonel."

Newkirk was about to head out, when Hogan stopped him. He turned around to see what his commanding officer wanted.

"Will you pour me a glass of water, please?" Hogan asked.

"What for, Gov'nor?" Newkirk asked.

"I feel another coughing fit coming on."


	2. Chapter 2

A few hours went by, and Hogan had summoned everyone into his quarters for a meeting regarding the ball bearing plant mission London had now assigned them. Hogan lay in his bed, Newkirk stood next to him, as he leaned against the window, Carter sat on the corner of Hogan's desk, Kinch sat in the desk chair, and LeBeau stood on the right side of Kinch.

"What are you thinking, Colonel?" LeBeau asked.

"We need to be careful in how we execute this; by how important London seems to make this assignment, I can already guarantee that it'll be heavily guarded." Hogan answered, trying to think. He got to his feet, put on his blue bathrobe, and started pacing. He could not think sitting still, and he felt well enough to get around, again. His breathing was still shaky and rattled from still having fluid inside his lungs.

"Nothing more than wearing our black suits and throwing over some dynamite on the other side of the fences should be necessary." Newkirk said.

"Yes, but we might have to get closer..." Hogan continued pacing back and forth across the floor, as he thought to himself. "Where would be the place where the guards would least likely have a lot of security around?"

"A bathroom?" Carter questioned, unsure of himself.

"Oh really; and how are you gonna get into the bathroom, Andrew? Tell the guard you need to get past 'em, so you can take care of business?." Newkirk remarked.

Carter was silent, before he replied softly and innocently. "Just a suggestion,"

"What about near the back of the plant, Colonel?" Kinch asked.

Hogan stopped, turned around to face Kinch, and smiled. "Kinch, there's a reason why I have you as second in command." Hogan said, smiling.

Kinch chuckled hanging his head, as he blushed. "Well, Colonel...you don't have to compliment me." Kinch laughed.

Hogan smiled then went back to thinking. He turned to Carter. "Carter, how many explosives can you line up besides a fence in under two minutes?" Hogan asked.

"About fifteen with one other person helping me, Colonel." Carter answered.

"Do we have fifteen explosives?"

"Oh, do I ever, Colonel! I got a whole batch of them in the tunnels. Why, while you were gone I," Hogan cut the young sergeant off.

"That's enough, Carter." Hogan said, holding up a hand. He turned to face LeBeau. "LeBeau, how quick are you?"

"As fast as a leopard, Colonel. I'd be done helping Carter under a minute and thirty seconds." LeBeau responded, full of pride.

"I'll give you an extra thirty to be on the safe side. Tomorrow night, we leave after evening roll call. Carter, get those fifteen explosives ready. LeBeau, you'll help in assisting Carter in anything he needs." Hogan ordered.

"Yes, sir," Carter said.

"Oui, Colonel," LeBeau added.

"Kinch, you and Newkirk go over a map of the plant and find the back of it. We'll enter down from that way." Hogan said to his second in command.

"Yes, Colonel," Kinch answered.

Hogan nodded. "You're all dismissed."

Kinch followed the rest of them out, when Hogan started having another coughing fit. Kinch came back, helped his commanding officer to sit down on his bed, and poured him a glass of water. Hogan drank it down and put the glass back on his footlocker.

"Thank you, Kinch." He said, sighing with relief.

"Need a cough drop, Colonel?" Kinch asked.

"Thanks for the offer, but I don't think it'll do much for me."

"Nasty bug you got there."

"I'm just glad no one else caught it. According to what Klink told me, when he came by to see me yesterday evening, almost every prisoner in Stalag 9 is suffering from a case of pneumonia."

"Just glad that it's gone, Colonel. It made you pretty sick there for a while."

"That it did, indeed."

"Well, we have planning to do, and you need all the rest you can get before tomorrow night."

Hogan nodded then yawned.

"Come to think of it, a nap doesn't sound bad, right now." Hogan said, growing sleepy.

"Don't worry; we'll keep the noise level down." Kinch said, with a wink.

Hogan smiled, as he lay his head on his pillow and spoke tiredly. "Sounds good to me."

Soon the commanding officer was asleep, and Kinch smiled, as he closed the door quietly. He silently made his way over to the table, where Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter were talking with one another.

"How is he, Kinch?" Carter asked, worried.

"He's fine; he's asleep, now, so make sure you guys and everyone else keeps the noise level to a minimum." Kinch answered, friendly.

"You think Colonel can handle tomorrow night?" LeBeau asked, concerned.

"I think he can handle it; you know how tough the Colonel is." Newkirk said, smiling.

"Then why do I have this horrid feeling that something terrible is gonna happen tomorrow night?"

"I know what you mean; I'm feeling it, too, Louis." Carter commented.

"Oh, come on, guys; we've done missions like this before. Nothing's ever happened to any of us nor Colonel." Kinch said.

"The Gov'nor and all of us will be just fine." Newkirk added.

LeBeau sighed.

"Alright, mon ami; if you think so." LeBeau said, softly.

* * *

The next day came and things were normal, as usual. Hogan had felt well enough to once again attend roll call like everyone else. He still had more recovering to do, however, before taking back his position as Senior POW Officer. Besides, he felt Kinch was doing a well enough job he did not need to interfere for a while, yet.

Evening fell with a clear sky, the moon shining bright, and stars twinkling above from the heavens. After evening roll call had taken place, Hogan in his usual everyday attire, and his men in their black suits snuck out of camp using the fake tree stump and went west to eventually end up at the ball bearing plant. Everyone hid behind a tall, thick oak tree, as Hogan went over the plan one last time before letting his men go free.

"Okay; Carter, you and LeBeau will take the explosives down to the fence and line them up one by one. You both have two minutes to finish the job." Hogan began.

"We'll get it done, Colonel." Carter said, softly.

"No worries, Colonel; it shall be done." LeBeau added.

Hogan turned his head to Newkirk and Kinch.

"You two are to hide behind those two trees near the fence and keep watch for any guards coming close by. If you see any at all, you give Carter and LeBeau the signals immediately to get them out of danger." The American colonel ordered.

"Yes, Colonel." Kinch said, softly.

"Don't worry about a thing, Colonel." Newkirk said.

"Colonel, what are you gonna do, sir?" Carter asked, curious.

"I'm gonna hide behind those bushes and keep watch out for all of you. If I see any danger near by that none of you pick up on for some reason, I'm gonna order your immediate returns, got it?" Hogan asked, more like ordered.

"Yes, Colonel." A chorus sang out.

Hogan nodded.

"Alright…" Hogan looked down at his watch, then at the gate, then at his men, again. "Go."

All four men vigilantly made their ways to their posts and began carrying out their orders. As Carter and LeBeau set out the explosives and timers, Newkirk and Kinch stood guard behind the thick, masculine oak trees and kept watch on their friends. Hogan knelt behind the bush and watch over all his men.

After what felt like forever, everyone had finally finished their jobs altogether and met back with Hogan in his hiding spot. The commanding officer turned to face Carter and looked at him firmly.

"How long did you put for the timers, before the bombs go off?" Hogan asked.

"Three minutes, Colonel." Carter answered.

Hogan nodded.

"Alright, everyone move out, and make it quick." Hogan ordered softly.

The four men nodded and followed Hogan's orders. The American colonel followed them behind shortly afterwards. He stopped after a bit and began suffering a vicious coughing attack. Thankfully, no one, not even his own men, heard him being too far away. After it passed, Hogan continued walking, when he felt as if he were forgetting something. Thinking it was nothing much, he continued walking then stopped, again. He felt his head suddenly, and realized his hat was not there on his head. Knowing it was a major concern, he turned around and went back to go searching for it. Having the whole coughing spell taking him by surprise, he had forgotten entirely that there were explosives that would soon go off in another minute or so.

Farther ahead, Carter, LeBeau, Kinch, and Newkirk had made it back to safety to watch the explosion take place. Kinch turned around to make sure everyone was there, and began to worry, when he did not see Hogan nearby. He remained calm, knowing he had to check quick with everyone else. He turned to Carter and LeBeau, who had been walking ahead of him and Newkirk.

"Carter, LeBeau, is Colonel up there with you guys?" Kinch asked.

"No," Carter answered, innocently.

"We thought he was behind you and Pierre." LeBeau said, beginning to worry.

Kinch looked back at Newkirk, who had just made his way towards everyone.

"Newkirk, is Colonel following you?" Kinch asked.

Newkirk turned back to see if his commanding officer was behind him. He turned back to face Kinch after checking.

"No, is he up there by Andrew and Louis?" Newkirk asked.

"No, mon ami." LeBeau answered, worried.

"We thought he was behind you, Newkirk." Carter said, growing scared, too.

"If he isn't up there with you mates...and he's not behind Kinch and I...then where is he?" Newkirk asked.

Kinch was about to make a guess, when the four of them all heard a massive parade of explosions go off. All four of them snapped their heads back to where they had just walked from and stared wide-eyed.

"Oh, please say it isn't so!" LeBeau gasped.

Carter was fighting back from beginning to cry, but he was so in shock, he could hardly do anything.

Newkirk began running back to where they were, when Kinch tackled Newkirk and grabbing hold of him from running any further.

"Kinch, get your hands off of me!" Newkirk cried.

"Don't go back, Newkirk!" Kinch ordered.

"I need to go back! I promised him!" Newkirk snapped back, shoving against Kinch's firm grip.

"It's too dangerous!"

"I'm not gonna leave the Gov'nor there to die!"

"He wouldn't want us to risk our lives for him!"

Newkirk found enough strength to shove Kinch off of him and darted back down through the trees and hills back to where they had been and where he had last seen Hogan. Kinch, Carter, and LeBeau soon followed after Newkirk.

When Newkirk returned to where they had been, he saw the whole ball bearing plant engulfed in flames. It was obvious that none of the guards had survived, but he was determined to find and save Hogan from being another casualty.

"Colonel," Newkirk hollered over the roaring of the flames. No response came to him. "Gov'nor, where are yah?" Nothing. "COLONEL!" Newkirk hollered. He scanned out every possible area of land and found a body laying on its side a few yards away from the bushes where Hogan had been hiding and resting near another part of the forest surrounding the area. Newkirk ran to it and knelt besides it, then he turned it flat on his back and recognized who it was instantly. "Colonel," Newkirk quivered.

Hogan was unconscious, covered in tar, smoke, dust, and sweat. His bomber jacket, shoes, and pants were covered with dirt and smoke powder. There was a big splotch of red on his belly seeping through his khaki shirt. Another pool of blood was coming from the lower part of the back of Hogan's head. Newkirk took a handkerchief from his pocket and applied pressure to the back of Hogan's head to clot the bleeding. He would have done the same for his belly, but was too concerned about possibly pushing in any shrapnel that came off from the bombs or the fences.

Kinch, Carter, and LeBeau found Newkirk and rushed to his side. LeBeau and Carter all shuddered at the sight, and Kinch got down to help Newkirk aide with Hogan.

"Colonel," Carter whimpered, fighting back from crying.

"Mon Colonel," LeBeau barely spoke. He knew if he spoke any louder, he would start bawling, like Carter was about to.

Kinch held the handkerchief that Newkirk had been applying pressure to Hogan's head with and began to do it himself.

"Newkirk, help me carry him. We've gotta get him to a hospital, now!" Kinch ordered, trying to remain calm. He was just as scared as everyone else.

"Kinch...is he...is he alive?" Carter croaked, shaky.

"Yes, but he won't be for long, if we don't get him to the hospital." Kinch answered, more frantic than he intended to sound.

"Do any of you know where the closest hospital is?" LeBeau quivered.

"There's one a mile down the road. We can make it there in thirty minutes, if we run." Newkirk said.

"We can't go to the hospital; not dressed like this! Two of us should go back to camp and get gestapo uniforms." Carter exclaimed.

"We won't need a hospital, if we do that! Colonel could be dead before we came back to him here. Dr. Klaussner works at that hospital; he'll cover for us." Kinch said out loud.

LeBeau, Newkirk, and Carter all nodded in agreement. They knew who the man was and trusted him greatly.

"Come on, guys; let's go!" Kinch ordered.

Newkirk and Carter helped Kinch lift up Hogan's body gently and dashed through the forest to the road with LeBeau following close behind them. As soon as they made it to the road, they started running even faster towards the hospital, and they would not stop until they arrived to their destination.


	3. Chapter 3

_Notice: Dr. Richard Klaussner is my own character I created for this story. If anyone ever wishes to use him for a story in the future, just PM me for my permission and what he would be doing in your story. Feel free to also tell me what your story's about, too, and I might check it out for myself to read on my break! ;) Enough of the rambling! Chapter 3...here you go! _

* * *

The four men waited impatiently in the hospital waiting room, begging to find out that Hogan was going to be okay. Kinch was pacing back and forth, Newkirk was shaking his leg from being so anxious, and Carter and LeBeau sat down on a sofa worried sick about their commanding officer.

Hogan had been in surgery for over two hours, now, and still no one had come back to report anything.

"How much longer are we gonna be just sitting here?!" Newkirk cried, frantic.

"The longer I wait, the more I grow worried." LeBeau whimpered.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do if anything happens to Colonel. I'll miss him like crazy; in fact, I don't think I'll be able to function, if worst comes to worse." Carter said.

"None of us are gonna be able to function without Colonel. We'd all be a grieving train wreck, if something happens to him." Kinch said, pacing. All the waiting was driving him simply mad.

"I sure hope Colonel's gonna be okay." Carter whimpered.

Kinch looked back and gave a friendly smile before going back to pacing.

"Colonel's gonna be just fine, Carter. You know how stubborn he is; he'll refuse to die." Kinch said, friendly. He then grew worried again and went back to pacing.

Newkirk was quiet and smacked his legs, rubbed them, then bent forward and sighed.

"It's all my fault." Newkirk murmured.

Kinch turned around, as he had heard Newkirk say something, but did not quite understand it.

"What did you say, Newkirk?" Kinch asked.

"I said it's my own bloody fault Colonel's here." Newkirk hissed. He was furious with himself and wanted someone to yell at him and punish him. He even wanted Klink to sentence him ninety days in the cooler would be a light sentence for what he was feeling.

"It's not your fault, buddy." Carter sadly said. He felt guilty as well. After all, it had been his explosives that hurt Hogan. He wished he would have gone back over his explosives again, making sure they were far away enough to not have caused any harm.

"I should've never had made him come." Newkirk whimpered, fighting back from crying. Had he never had convinced Hogan to come on this mission, he would be back at Stalag 13 waiting for them, now. He would be smiling and asking them how the mission went, and they would tell him successfully without any problem.

"It's all my fault. They were my explosives. I should've went over them more carefully. I knew Colonel was still weak from his pneumonia; I should've known better." Carter said, tears falling down his face.

"Your explosives wouldn't had been a problem, had I never bloody told the Gov'nor he was strong enough to come along with us, tonight!" Newkirk retorted back, harsh.

"Enough, all of you! Colonel's in that operating room fighting for his life, and all you guys are fighting over whose fault it is for Colonel being here!" Kinch snarled.

Everyone grew quiet and hung their heads. Kinch then sighed and changed his tone to a more friendly sound.

"We're all worried about Colonel, and we all want him to be alright. But sitting here and blaming ourselves for what happened isn't gonna help him anymore than it is, now."

"He's right, mes amis. What happened to the Colonel was a terrible, terrible accident. No one's at fault for him being hurt." LeBeau said, trying to be reassuring.

Carter sighed and nodded, still having tears roll down his cheeks.

"Okay, Louis." Carter quivered.

It may have worked for Carter, but Newkirk still felt rotten as sin. He had promised Hogan that he would protect him throughout the entire mission. He promised him that he would make sure nothing bad happened to him. Now because he had forgotten and walked away before checking that Hogan was following him, the four of them were now sitting in a hospital waiting room waiting to hear whether Hogan was going to live or die. If something happened to Hogan, Newkirk thought to himself he would never forgive himself for what he had done.

Another hour went by, and it was then finally that a familiar face walked out of the operating room. Dr. Richard Klaussner came out into the waiting room. Dr. Klaussner was a member of the Underground and a friend of the five men, especially Hogan. He had pure white hair and kind blue eyes. He was a man around his mid 60s'. The four men felt more easy knowing that he was the one caring for their commanding officer and friend. However, the look on his face was grim and not a good sign to any of them sitting there. The four men all rose and hurried their way to the old doctor.

"How is he, Doctor" Kinch asked, worried.

"Is he alright?" Carter whimpered.

"Can we see him?" LeBeau added in.

Dr. Klaussner sighed and shook his head, as he closed his eyes.

"I wish I had better news to tell you than what I'm about to." The old man said, softly.

"Oh, God, he died, didn't he! He's gone!" Newkirk shuddered. He was about to break down and cry right there in front of everybody.

"He's not dead...at least not now." Dr. Klaussner softly answered.

The four men grew perplexed, looked at one another, then back at their friend.

"What do you mean by that, Doctor?" Kinch asked. All of them were freaking out on the inside. They wanted to know how Hogan was, and they wanted to know now.

Dr. Klaussner sighed sadly before answering.

"Colonel Hogan had some pretty serious injuries, when you brought him in. Any later than when you brought him in, he would've died. There were several pieces of shrapnel in Colonel Hogan's stomach that tore several abdominal muscles and punctured his stomach. Because of such severe injuries, he lost quite a lot of blood during the operation. We had to give him about seven units of blood because of such blood loss. The injury to his head was also severe, as well. The blow to his head had torn open several layers of skin and muscle. We were able to stop blood flow, cleanse and stitch the area where a bandage is now placed." Dr. Klaussner began. There was one thing about Colonel Hogan that the old man was keeping from his four men. They easily picked up on it, and it was then Kinch asked the question.

"Doctor, you're keeping something from us...what is it?" Kinch asked.

"None of you will like it." Dr. Klaussner softly answered.

"For God's sake, Doctor, yah killing us, here! Just tell us!" Newkirk begged.

Dr. Klaussner sighed and talked, again.

"Colonel Hogan is in a coma. The blow to his head was so hard, it put him into a deep state of unconsciousness. Had that blow been any lower, and he would've died instantly."

"When will he wake up, mon ami?" LeBeau asked, softly.

Dr. Klaussner grew silent for the longest time then sighed before answering. He shook his head and opened his mouth, as if he were about to say something. It took long enough, before the old man finally did say something.

"...I don't know." The old doctor simply answered.

"What do you mean 'you don't know'?" Kinch questioned.

"I don't know when Colonel Hogan will wake up...I'm not really sure if I even know if he'll wake up."

"Won't wake up."

Dr. Klaussner shook his head closing his eyes.

"There's a very high possibility that your Colonel will never regain consciousness."

"What are you trying to say?" Kinch asked, growing fearful for the answer that was to come.

"...I'm afraid that there is a very likely possibility that Colonel Hogan will die from his injuries. As from examining him, when he came in, he seems to be suffering from a case of pneumonia."

"What's left of it, yes."

"Unfortunately, Colonel Hogan inhaled quite a bit of smoke from being so close by to the explosion site. The smoke has caused damage to his lungs, making him once again develop a case of bacterial pneumonia."

"But Colonel's pneumonia was viral."

"I know...which raises his chances of dying even higher. With what virus was still left in his respiratory system, the bacterial pneumonia has made it that much worse. We're giving him oxygen through his nose, since he was having difficulty breathing, when he was brought in."

Carter started softly crying. Kinch wrapped an arm around him and held his friend close and comforting.

"Can we see him...please, Richard." Kinch softly begged.

"Right now, he's in recovery. When he is moved into another room, my assistant will come down here and escort you to his room. As for me, I will stay here and give Colonel Hogan's prognosis to your Kommandant."

Kommandant Wilhelm Klink of Stalag 13 had been called by the request of the four men. They knew they had to notify Klink, as keeping this a secret would be mere impossible. Both Dr. Klaussner and the men had come up with the scenario that Hogan had a severe fall from his bunk bed and hit his head on his footlocker and shards of glass from an object in Hogan's room had cut through Hogan's stomach. Dr. Klaussner had made up the explanation that not wanting to disturb the Kommandant, the prisoners had one of the guards from Stalag 13 drive them out to the hospital with them tagging along to make sure Hogan was alright.

Kinch nodded sadly, but understood that Dr. Klaussner would make sure Hogan got everything possible in order to get healthy and return to his men, again.

"Thank you, Richard." Kinch softly said.

Dr. Klaussner nodded.

"Dr. Klaussner...you'll help Colonel to get better, right?" LeBeau asked, fighting back his tears.

"I'll do whatever I can for him, LeBeau, but I don't promise anything. As of now, he's in God's hands, now. These next 72 hours will be an extremely critical period, so we'll know more after that...if he makes it that long, that is."

Kinch nodded, sadly and went back to comforting his friend, who was softly weeping into his black shirt.

It was not long after that, when Klink stormed out of the elevator and over to his prisoners and the doctor talking with them. Klink was in his cap, trench coat, and leather gloves.

"Dr. Klaussner, how is he? We talked a little earlier on the phone." Klink said, slightly worried. Inside, he was terrified for his Senior POW Officer, but had to show like it was not such a huge concern of his in order to not show the prisoners he did actually genuinely care about Hogan.

Dr. Klaussner turned to Kinch, as if he had just met him.

"Is this your Kommandant, Sergeant Kinchloe?" Dr. Klaussner asked, acting like they were not on a friendly ground with one another.

"Yes, Doctor." Kinch simply answered. He took Carter, Newkirk, and LeBeau to go sit back down in the chairs and sofa in the waiting room, as Dr. Klaussner talked with Klink.

"How serious are his injuries, Doctor?" Klink asked.

"Colonel Hogan is in a coma. As of now, whether he will live or die is completely up in the air, but there is a high chance that he may never regain consciousness."

"Are you saying Colonel Hogan may die?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Klink slightly shuddered and nodded.

"I understand, Doctor." Klink softly said.

Dr. Klaussner nodded and left Klink alone with his prisoners. With that, Klink marched over angry with the prisoners and began interrogating them.

"You four snuck out of the barracks after curfew?" Klink hissed.

"It was either that or let Colonel die; which would you prefer?" Newkirk replied, tired. He was not in the mood for Klink's questions.

"And why are you four all dressed in black?"

"We were rehearsing for our musical production, when we heard Colonel Hogan fall in his quarters." Kinch answered, softly.

"Musical production; I gave no permission for such thing." Klink remarked.

"We were practicing in case you would have the common courtesy to let us do so."

"Absolutely not; request denied. You're just lucky you had a good reason to leave camp! Next time, it'll be the cooler for the four of you!"

"There won't be a next time, Kommandant. I promise."

Klink moaned and shook his fist in the air, when Dr. Klaussner's assistant came out for Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau. The four men rose to their feet and walked over to the doctor. He was younger, about in his mid forties. His hairstyle looked like Klink's, and he had dark skin and brown eyes. He nodded and took the four down the hall and to an elevator. They entered and went up to the 6th floor and continued following the doctor through a zigzag of hallways, until they stopped at a door. The assistant opened the door to reveal a dark room with only a lamp light lighting the room. Hogan lay silently on the hospital bed in a hospital gown covered up with white blankets and sheets. His right hand rested comfortably on his belly, an IV in his right hand, and an oxygen assistance up his nose. He also had several wires connected to his chest that attached to a machine that was making line markings of Hogan's pulse, heartbeat, and blood pressure.

The assistant closed the door, leaving the four men in silence, as they stared at their commanding officer. They had never seen him so lifeless before in their lives. He was more lively when he was sick with pneumonia than now. Carter silently walked over and sat down by Hogan's legs letting tears stream down his face. He took hold of Hogan's left hand and held it tight but gently. The remaining three approached the bed with Kinch standing by Hogan's nightstand, LeBeau sitting in a chair by the nightstand, and Newkirk standing behind Carter with his hands placed gently on his best friend's shoulders to comfort him.

"Hi, Colonel," Carter croaked, softly.

Nothing more but the sounds of the machine beeping and running were heard, as what once was their lively commanding officer now lying in bed, the rise and falling of his chest being the only movement he made.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm not leaving your side for one second, Colonel...no siree, I'm staying right here, until you wake up." Carter said, breaking.

Newkirk gently rubbed Carter's back comforting him.

Kinch looked at Carter with sympathy, turned back to Hogan, and sighed.

"Don't worry, Colonel...I'll make sure nothing bad happens to any of them, while you're sick. I promise, Colonel." Kinch softly spoke.

That word again: 'promise'. Newkirk had promised Hogan he would protect him...and he felt as if he had let his commanding officer down. He had not been able to save his friend from what now may be the last time he ever talked to him, again. It made Newkirk's heart ache, as if it were burning in flames. He made a sickly face, before he swallowed a large lump in his throat and was able to look at Hogan, again.

"We will think of you and pray for you, Colonel. You'll never leave our thoughts for a moment!" LeBeau said, starting to cry.

"I'm so sorry, Gov'nor...I hope you're able to forgive me, sir." Newkirk whispered, softly. A tear rolled down his face, but he quickly wiped it away.

There was a knock on the door, and Dr. Klaussner came in with a sad expression on his face.

"I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave, now. Your Kommandant is adamant about it." Dr. Klaussner softly said.

Kinch nodded. He turned to look at Hogan once last time and squeezed his shoulder gently, like he had always done, when one of his men were sad. He closed his eyes and nodded, asking God to protect him and make him well, again, then he headed right to Dr. Klaussner and waited for his friends to say goodbye for now.

LeBeau went next and wrapped his arms around Hogan, hugging him gently. After silently crying a little into Hogan's lifeless body, he rose, let go of Hogan, and nodded. He then followed Kinch and stood by him.

Carter repeated the same thing LeBeau had done then held Hogan's hand one more time. He gave it a squeeze, letting him know that he was not leaving him, and went over to Kinch and LeBeau.

Newkirk was the last to remain of the four of them. He looked at Hogan and sat down on his bed. He sighed and let out a shaky breath and patted Hogan's shoulder, begging inside he would wake up and tell them that he would be okay. Sadly, nothing happened. Newkirk nodded, as he continued looking at Hogan.

"Don't worry, Gov'nor; I'll take care of my mates, while you're gone. We'll come back and see yah, again...and that's a promise that I will never break." Newkirk croaked. He let a few tears stream down his face now and did not wipe them away.

After all of them had said goodbye to Hogan, the four men left the hospital and returned home to Stalag 13, as they would begin a journey without Hogan with them.


	4. Chapter 4

Kinch, Carter, LeBeau, and Newkirk did not get any sleep that night. They sat at the table drinking coffee the whole night talking with one another instead. It felt so weird not having Hogan there with them. It was a new feeling, a new experience, something that they were not comfortable with. They missed Hogan, and they wanted him there with all of them. The only thing they could do for now, though, was pray for him and keep him in their minds and hearts, until he came back to them, again.

Schultz was mindful that morning of waking up the men, especially the four of Hogan's men. Klink had told him about the rough night they had and that they were still trying to take it all in.

The prisoners of barracks two were lined up in two lines. Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau stood there not caring whether they were yelled at for not being in attention or not. They were tired, sad, and they were completely drained from last night.

Schultz had finished counting and sighed, when he got to Hogan's empty spot. He shook his head, sighed again, and turned around and waited for Klink to make his appearance. They all heard a door slam suddenly, and Klink walked down the steps towards Schultz.

"Reeeeeeepoooooooort!" Klink cried.

Both German officers exchanged salutes before Schultz answered.

"All prisoners here, Kommandant." Schultz reported, a sad look in his eyes.

Klink nodded and sighed, exchanging the same sad look. He would never admit it, but he was as worried about Hogan as the others were. It was not the same without him standing there in line. He missed his Senior POW Officer and kept hoping that he would get well and come back to them soon. His witty comments, the way he would throw jokes out insulting the Germans regarding the success of the Third Reich, roll call and camp life just was not the same without him there.

"Gentlemen, I'm sure you all are aware of what happened last night regarding Colonel Hogan. He rolled off his bed and hit his head on his footlocker severely and cut his stomach on broken shards of glass which has been cleaned up, now. He is in a coma, now, and his doctor does not know whether or not he will make it through. Besides that, nothing more. Diiiiiiiiiissssssmiiiiiiiiiiiissssssed!" Klink said, sadly.

All the prisoners sadly walked off and went about their usual routines. Kinch, LeBeau, Newkirk, and Carter were the only four that remained. They gathered around by the barracks door. Both LeBeau and Newkirk sat down on the bench, Kinch standing beside it, leaning against the wall, and Carter sadly kicking around the dirt in the compound, as he thought of nothing else besides praying that Hogan would come back to them and survive this.

"What do you guys wanna do?" Kinch asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Nothing," LeBeau sadly said, putting his head in his hands.

"I want Colonel to come back." Carter added, depressed.

"Both Louis and Andrew's ideas sound good to me." Newkirk pouted.

"I know we all miss him, but what do you think Colonel would want us to do, if he were here, right now? How would he feel seeing us so sad and miserable?" Kinch asked.

Newkirk sighed. "I don't know, Kinch. My mind's so scrambled, I feel like the circuits have just fried out entirely." He grabbed a cigarette out and started to take a drag on it.

The four looked up and observed the weather. It was sunny and a few clouds were in the sky. It was too happy for them outside. Needing to sit in an environment away from the outside and others, the four walked into the barracks and sat down at the table. LeBeau poured everyone a cup of coffee, then he sat down besides Kinch.

"Well, the four of us better perk up and fast. It'll only be a short while before General Burkhalter's bound to show up." Kinch said, taking a drink of coffee.

"What reason does _that_ bloody Kraut have for coming here?" Newkirk moaned, taking another drag on his cigarette.

"To talk to Klink about the explosion last night and update him regarding the current medical condition Colonel's in." Kinch responded.

"Kinch...what if Colonel doesn't make it, this time? You heard what Richard said." Carter worried.

"Now don't start thinking like that, Carter. Colonel's strong and stubborn; he'll pull through." Kinch said.

"Colonel maybe strong, but he's not mean." LeBeau whimpered, staring at his coffee. None of them were hungry for anything.

"Well, we now know that trying to kill Hochstetter won't be easy, then." Newkirk groaned.

"I forgot all about Hochstetter. No doubt he'll be over soon enough. He'll have his usual suspicions that Colonel had something to do with it." Kinch said, sadly.

"I miss Colonel," Carter croaked, crying threatening him.

"We all do, Andrew." Newkirk sadly answered. He took a sip of coffee and puckered at the taste, then turned to LeBeau. "Blimey, Louis; this coffee tastes terrible!"

"It's leftovers from yesterday. I haven't got the energy to make a fresh batch, right now." LeBeau grumbled.

Newkirk grew silent and took another drink of the terrible substance. It was better than nothing, at that moment.

"Couldn't we just call London and ask them to send us medicine for Colonel's pneumonia?" Carter asked.

"It won't do any good; London can do as much as Dr. Klaussner can for Colonel, for the moment." Kinch answered, rubbing the young sergeant's back.

"I wish we were there with him." LeBeau mumbled, sadly.

"If anything changes, Richard promised he'd call us the minute it happens." Kinch said.

"Yeah, but when will _it _exactly happen?" Newkirk questioned, slightly irritated.

"As of now, we can only pray for Colonel to get passed the next 72 hours he has left of his critical period. If he gets through this, then there's a higher chance of him coming back to us." Kinch answered.

"I wish we could do more than pray."

"_Oui_, Pierre...so do I." LeBeau sadly said.

* * *

Hours went by, and sure enough, General Burkhalter's car pulled up in front of Klink's office around mid afternoon. General Burkhalter and Klink talked for numerous hours regarding Hogan's current condition, what Dr. Klaussner had told him, and the events of last night. Night soon fell, and another expected visitor arrived. A gestapo staff car pulled up besides General Burkhalter's, and an angry gestapo officer marched out of the car and up the stairs of the Kommandantur's.

Olsen, who had been watching for anyone from the luftwaffe or gestapo, slammed the door and immediately reported to Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau, who were sitting at the table in the middle of a game of gin.

"Major Hochstetter just arrived, and he seemed really angry!" Olsen exclaimed.

"Let's go, guys." Kinch ordered.

The four of Hogan's men threw down their hands and hurried to Hogan's quarters. They turned on the coffee pot immediately to hear what was about to go on in Klink's office.

* * *

Klink and Burkhalter were discussing the progress of other stalags around Germany and Burkhalter's continuous urge of Klink to marry his sister, when Hochstetter slammed the door open and barged on in. His eyes were tainted with fire and anger. His arms were behind his back, and he stared coldly into both Klink's and Burkhalter's eyes.

"I _know _he did it! I _know _that man's guilty behind all of this!" Hochstetter hollered, slamming his right fist onto Klink's desk.

Slightly zoning out, Klink was startled, when the gestapo major slammed his fist down. Klink immediately rose to his feet and saluted the gestapo officer. Burkhalter had risen, as well, but was not terrified of the man, like Klink was.

"Major, I thought you would be at the explosion site investigating." Klink gasped, trying to not show any fear. Hochstetter, however, was not stupid and could read the terror of his presence right on the withering Kommandant's face.

"Major Hochstetter, what brings you out here at this time of night?" Burkhalter questioned.

"Colonel Hogan, _that's _why I'm here." Hochstetter snarled.

Burkhalter sighed and shook his head.

"Are you referring to what happened last night at the ball bearing plant four miles from here, Major?"

"Of _course _about the explosion last night! What else would I be talking about?!"

Klink was about to join in and make a comment, but decided not to not only from Burkhalter's warning glare, but for the sheer fact of Hochstetter becoming more angry than he was. The Kommandant had never seen the major so enraged in his entire life. Whatever this was about, he knew Hochstetter was not going to back down so easily regarding his speculation this time.

"Major, this obsession you have with Colonel Hogan has gone on far enough. Everytime you think Colonel Hogan is behind something regarding a sabotage or mishandling regarding the Germans progress in the war, you have never found any proof of him causing the incident."

"General Burkhalter does make a point, Major Hochstetter." Klink replied, taking the general's side.

Hochstetter snapped his head towards Klink and glared at him with cold, evil eyes.

"Stay out of this, Klink!" Hochstetter warned.

"Yes, Major; staying out of it, Major." Klink tremored. The old Kommandant slowly slid back down into the safety of his chair behind his desk. Everytime Hochstetter was there, he always felt like he was hiding something horrid that if the gestapo major were to find out about, would cost him more than his life.

Hochstetter snapped his attention back at the big general and sneered.

"That's where you're wrong, General Burkhalter; I have, for once in my life, proof to further investigate regarding Colonel Hogan's involvement with last night's explosion." Hochstetter growled.

"Assumptions and speculations do not count as sufficient evidence, Major." Burkhalter protested. He was growing very fed up of the gestapo major's continuous goal of exploiting Hogan for something he thought that he had far from involvement regarding the sabotages going on around Stalag 13.

"It isn't a speculation, nor is it an assumption. I have physical evidence to put right in front of your blind eyes for once!"

"Name one,"

"First off, where _is _Colonel Hogan?"

Klink trembled a bit before answering the major's question, before Burkhalter got the chance to speak.

"Colonel Hogan is in the hospital in critical condition. He's in a coma and has 48 hours left before we have more information on whether he will live or die." Klink answered, shaky.

"Hmmmmm...interesting..._explosion _injuries, maybe?" Hochstetter sneered, particularly at no one.

"No, Major; Colonel Hogan fell out of his bunk last night and hit his head on his footlocker." Klink said.

"Likely story," Hochstetter snarled.

Klink gulped and nodded suffering from tremors of fear.

Burkhalter shook his head and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. He was not also irritated with Hochstetter's preposterous claim, but he was also agitated that Klink was still a cowering, bumbling moron, as always. It was no surprise why the man had yet to become a general.

"I've heard enough of this nonsense, Major. I would advise you to go back to your investigation and drop the whole Hogan ordeal." Burkhalter ordered.

"That's not the only physical evidence I have." Hochstetter snarled.

"I don't care what it is, Major. It's probably someone's useless piece of garbage you happened to pick up under suspicion."

"Oh yeah; what do you call _this_, then?!" Hochstetter exclaimed, pulling his left arm out in front of him and shaking something in his hand.

Klink shot up from his desk and stared in horror at what Hochstetter was holding in his hand. It was a brown crush cap that belonged to an officer in the USA Army Air Corps...it was Hogan's.


	5. Chapter 5

Burkhalter stared at the hat for a long period of time. He had no idea what to think at that moment. For once in his life, Hochstetter had physical proof of Hogan possibly being involved with a sabotage assignment from only God knows who and where.

"Where...where...where did you get that from, Major?" Klink gasped. He was sure he was about to faint at that moment right in front of both Burkhalter and Hochstetter. He also did not want Hogan to be the one causing all the explosions. He was basically Klink's only friend and being his friend, the Kommandant did not want to see Hogan be tortured and beaten to death by the gestapo.

"One of my officers in command found it near a bush a couple meters away from the explosion site." Hochstetter said, gruff.

Burkhalter took the hat gently out of Hochstetter's hands and examined it carefully. He nodded and put it on Klink's desk.

"It does look a lot similar to Colonel Hogan's hat, Major." Burkhalter commented. He was now interested in further investigating Colonel Hogan's possible involvement with the explosion. He thought, perhaps, that the gestapo major had been maybe right all along, and he was just learning that.

"General Burkhalter, I can assure you that no one last night escaped from camp. No alarms, no guards, and no guard dogs were alerted of such a thing. After all, _no one _has had a successful escape from Stalag 13." Klink said, the last part proudly.

"Yes, Klink; we all know of your 'no escape' record." Burkhalter groaned. He and Hochstetter had only heard the spiel a few hundred times, now.

"I will investigate for another 48 hours at the site of the explosion. After that, I will consider having everyone questioned in this camp..._especially _the men in barracks two." Hochstetter said, sneering at Klink who, once again, had shivered back down into his chair and grew silent.

"Major Hochstetter," Klink began. He gulped and continued with his thought. "If it's Colonel Hogan you suspect was involved, how are you gonna question anybody here in camp? The man you need to speak with is currently unconscious and may not even come out of it."

"If that's the case, death will be a suitable punishment for that man enough as it is. If he does, somehow, come out of his 'coma', I will question him in the most extreme ways possible with our methods."

"You say 'coma' as if you expect he's faking it."

"Knowing Hogan, I wouldn't be surprised if he were using the excuse to get out of questioning."

"Major, a doctor has examined him and everything. Colonel Hogan's medical report is right there on my desk, if you care to look at it." Klink softly spoke, as he pointed to a red portfolio holding several medical documents regarding Hogan's current condition and possible outcomes while his hand shook with tremors.

"Klink, I want you to make copies of these documents for me immediately. I will go to the hospital tomorrow evening and speak with the doctor caring for Hogan myself." Hochstetter ordered.

"Yes sir, Major," Klink replied, rising from his chair. The Kommandant grabbed the file and walked out into the main office where his secretary, Hilda, worked in the daytime. She too had been saddened to hear the news regarding Hogan. She found him a kind, gentle, and attractive man.

Burkhalter followed Klink out of his office to further discuss what Hochstetter had just presented in front of them. Once alone in the Kommandant's office, Hochstetter rubbed his hands together and smiled with malice. _I've got you right where I want you, now, Hogan. Now that General Burkhalter and that bumbling idiot Klink have seen some physical evidence, I've got them by a hook, _Hochstetter thought to himself.

* * *

In Hogan's quarters, Kinch had put away the coffee pot after hearing both Hochstetter and Burkhalter leave, though they knew they would soon return. He slowly turned around and looked at LeBeau, Newkirk, and Carter who were all standing there. Their eyes were wide, and their faces were filled with terror.

LeBeau gulped before speaking. "_That's _why _mon Colonel _went back."

"He went to go get his hat...since that ruddy explosion injured him, he never got the chance and bring it back." Newkirk groaned.

"We should've known something. We all saw Colonel not wearing his hat...it must have slipped our minds, since we were so concerned about him getting help." Carter stated, growing afraid.

"Oh, we're in a real sticky wicket now, aren't we." Newkirk moaned.

"Oh, Colonel...where are we, when we need you? _You _would know how to get us out of this mess." LeBeau pleaded looking up towards the ceiling.

"What are we gonna do, Kinch?" Carter asked, worried.

"We might still be able to save ourselves from this mess." Kinch said, beginning to pace. He resembled acting like Hogan quite well, while doing so.

"Oh, and how do yah suppose we do that, mate?" Newkirk retorted.

"We could have Colonel flown out to London. He'd be safe, there." Carter suggested.

"It's too risky in his condition. Besides that, the filthy bosche would grow too suspicious of his sudden disappearance." LeBeau said.

"Okay; I know one thing. From this point onward, we always have two people standing guard at the barracks door, whenever we expose the tunnel. On top of that, none of us will go out on an assignment by themselves. We'll go in parties of two or more." Kinch began.

"What do we do about Hochstetter, though?" LeBeau asked.

"We need to get the Colonel's hat back, for one thing. We know it's in Klink's office, and it'll more than likely stay there, until the investigation is over."

"Yeah; if we get a hold of the Gov'nor's hat, they no longer have any physical evidence of anything." Newkirk chimed in.

"It may help some, but since both Burkhalter and Klink have seen it, we _still _have a problem on our hands." Kinch replied, as he continued pacing.

"I'll sneak into Klink's office tonight after he goes to sleep and get it."

"Have LeBeau come with you. Starting now, we all go in pairs of at least two."

"Got 'cha, mate,"

"_Oui_, Kinch," LeBeau said.

"Understood, Kinch," Carter added.

"But what are we gonna do about saving the Colonel and the operation?" LeBeau asked, still worried.

"I'll think of something. For the moment, we have to take every precaution as much as possible. We can't put the Colonel in any more danger than he's already in." Kinch answered.

"I agree; Colonel's far more important to me than the operation." Carter said, protective of his commanding officer.

"In order to protect the Colonel, we have to protect the operation." Newkirk commented, slightly agitated.

"And how do we do that with Hochstetter; he's not exactly stupid, like the Kommandant is." LeBeau retorted.

"What about Burkhalter?" Newkirk asked.

"Burkhalter can be persuaded more easily; he actually has some kind of liking towards the Colonel, so he won't be too much of a problem for us. It's Hochstetter and the gestapo we have to worry about." Kinch answered.

"I wish I could see the Colonel." Carter sadly said.

Newkirk sighed and wrapped an arm around his best friend.

Kinch looked over at the young sergeant and gave a small smile.

"I'll talk to Klink in the morning about how often we can go see Colonel. If I don't like the amount of time, I'll try to get as much time as I can." Kinch said, friendly.

Carter nodded, feeling a wave of emotions hitting him. He gulped a knot down his throat and clenched his eyes shut to fight back from crying.

Newkirk sighed and continued rubbing Carter's back.

"God, I wish he were here, right now." Newkirk sighed.

"A little less than 48 hours he has left, before he's out of immediate danger. He'll make it, _mes amis_, I know he will. He can do it!" LeBeau said, optimistic.

"Louis's right, guys; remember when Colonel first got so sick with pneumonia? Wilson wasn't sure he was gonna make it, but he did. If he can get through a severe case of viral pneumonia, he can get through this with flying colors." Kinch added in.

"I hope so, Kinch. Even if he gets past these next 48 hours, we _still _don't know if he'll ever come out of his coma." Newkirk said.

"That we can only pray and hope God answers them."

All of them nodded.

"Why don't we all grab some coffee; it might help clear our thoughts out and think of a plan to save Colonel and the operation." Kinch suggested.

The four of them walked out of Hogan's room, turned off the light, and closed the door. They made their way towards the table, each of them with a cup of coffee, and began discussing what had to be done.

Newkirk had gotten Hogan's hat back without a problem. As irritated as Hochstetter was about Klink reporting the news, both them and Burkhalter were still highly suspicious and remained with the plan to investigate Hogan's possible involvement with the explosion.

* * *

Another 48 hours went by, and Dr. Klaussner had notified Klink that Hogan had made it through the critical period. Klink told Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau the news, and they were all relieved. Hogan now only had to wake up from his coma, and the four remained hopeful and prayed for their commanding officer's health and for him to come back to them. Kinch had also managed Klink to permit them two visits a week with Hogan, until he got better or until they all knew for certain that there was no chance of him waking up, again.

For the meanwhile, the four men were up to their ears in stress, as they continued struggling to come up with a plan to save themselves, Hogan, and the operation. Several suggestions had been made, but none of them were logical, safe, or able to be accomplished.

Since Klink would not let Kinch or any of the men go visit Hogan until Sunday, Newkirk and LeBeau were assigned to go out to the hospital later that evening to go visit and check up on their commanding officer to make sure he was doing alright.

That morning, Kinch, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter stood in their two lines outside the barracks reporting for roll call. The empty spot where Hogan should be standing still irked the four men slightly. They knew he was supposed to be there with all of them and taking the final steps into recovering from his pneumonia. Sadly, that was not the case, and the four men had to acknowledge that and go on without Hogan as best as they could. They all knew how heartbroken Hogan would be, if he knew his men were not able to function without him there.

Schultz had finished counting all fourteen prisoners, who were shivering in the brutal morning weather. It was not long, before they heard a door slam shut and a voice ring out throughout the entire camp.

"Reeeeeeepoooooorrrrt," Klink said, thunderously.

"All prisoners here and accounted for, _Herr Kommandant_." Schultz reported, saluting to Klink.

"Excellent, Schultz," Klink spoke, smiling. He turned his attention to the prisoners. "Gentlemen, it has been a while since I've done this, so I will inform you on how the glorious Third Reich is succeeding in the war." Klink began.

A storm of moans and boos cried out from the men, until Klink ordered them to stop.

"As I was saying, the Third Reich in all of its glory continues to thrive in high command and power." Klink continued.

"Does that mean you're surrendering?!" Newkirk asked, smiling.

The rest of the men started to snicker softly.

"That'll be enough, Corporal Newkirk." Klink ordered.

"By the way, how _is _old Bubblebrain doing, anyways?" Kinch asked.

"Old Bubblebrain is doing just…" Klink realized finally what Kinch had said, and his face grew with anger. "Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssmissssssssssed!" Klink said angry, as he saluted sharp.

As they were all about to scatter, a gestapo staff car pulled into Stalag 13 and parked besides the Kommandantur's.

Klink gulped now growing anxious.

"Major Hochstetter," Klink gasped.

He hurried his way towards the car with Schultz following behind him.

The other prisoners dispersed among themselves, as Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau huddled around one another.

"Hochstetter; what's that old Kraut doing out here so early in the morning?" Newkirk asked.

"I hope it's not the questioning he was considering." LeBeau quivered.

"Not likely; there would be more gestapo staff cars, if that were the case." Kinch said, as he continued keeping watch of Klink and Schultz, who were now greeting Hochstetter.

"So, if it's not questioning, why is he here?" Carter asked.

The four of them saw two more officers get out from the back with someone in a USA Army Air Corps. officer's uniform handcuffed. From what they could tell, it looked like a colonel.

"Who's _that _bloke?" Newkirk asked.

The four prisoners saw Klink and Hochstetter enter with Schultz, the two gestapo officers, and the man in custody into the Kommandantur's.

"Gentlemen, I believe a coffee break should be called to order." Kinch said.

The other three nodded and entered the barracks and made their way to Hogan's room. Kinch plugged in the coffee pot, and the four of them began to listen in on the Germans in Klink's office.

* * *

"Major Hochstetter, to what do I owe this visit?" Klink asked, trying to hide his anxiety. Hochstetter rolled his eyes, as it was obvious how much he made the Kommandant quiver in his presence.

"Klink, this man was brought to gestapo headquarters about two days ago and kept under supervised watch for anything suspicious. We have decided now to turn him over to you as a prisoner." Hochstetter replied.

Klink glared at the man who sat in front of him. The man was a colonel without a doubt. His hands now uncuffed and uniform was identical to Hogan's. The Kommandant was slightly wishing his Senior POW Officer was there with him at the moment to help him get the gestapo to leave camp. What he wouldn't give for an interruption from him, right now.

"Alright, Colonel, talk. Who are you?" Klink asked, in his most intimidating voice possible.

The man crossed his legs and wrapped his arms around himself, glaring coldly at the Kommandant.

"I asked you a question, Colonel, now what is your name?" Klink asked, again. His annoyance was beginning to grow.

"Colonel Jackson Matthews, serial number R7674177." Matthews snarled.

"Where's your base, Colonel Matthews?" Klink asked.

Matthews did not answer.

"Colonel Matthews, where's your base location?" Klink bellowed.

Nothing.

"Colonel, unless you answer my questions, I will have you thrown in solitary confinement in the cooler! Now where is your base location?" Klink asked, growing irritated with the man. He was more annoyed with him than Hogan ever made him feel.

"Jackson Matthews, Colonel, serial number R7674177." Matthews repeated.

Hochstetter stepped in front of Klink.

"The gestapo can make you talk, if you refuse to answer voluntarily, Colonel. I would advise you to answer Kommandant Klink's questions, or you'll be forced to answer _mine_!" Hochstetter hissed.

"Colonel Jackson Matthews, serial number R7674…" Hochstetter cut Matthews off.

"Colonel, enough with it and answer the question!" Hochstetter barked.

Matthews slid back in his seat and glared in Hochstetter's eyes showing he was not afraid of him. He continued to sit there and not speak.

"Schultz, throw this man in the cooler! Perhaps three days of solitary confinement will get him to talk." Klink ordered.

"_Jawohl, Herr Kommandant_." Schultz replied. He began to walk towards Matthews, when Hochstetter stopped him by holding up a hand.

"No; assign him to a barracks, Klink. Perhaps one of your prisoners will get him to talk." Hochstetter ordered.

"Yes sir, Major," Klink said. The old Kommandant snapped his head at Matthews and looked at him. "Let's go, Colonel."

Matthews rose to his feet and followed Klink while glaring at him with pure hatred in his eyes. After putting on his coat, cap, and gloves, Klink left his office with the new prisoner following behind him.

* * *

Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau put away the coffee pot and left Hogan's quarters. They all quickly sat down with cups of coffee acting casual, when Klink barged in with the prisoner following him from behind. Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau rose to their feet and stood next to one another, as their eyes met Klink's.

"Good morning, Kommandant." Kinch greeted.

"Who's the Yank?" Newkirk sneered. He was not afraid to show his opinion about the new colonel in camp.

"Gentlemen, this is your new Senior POW Officer, Colonel Jackson Matthews." Klink replied, smiling smugly.


	6. Chapter 6

"New Senior POW Officer," LeBeau exclaimed.

"What do you mean 'new Senior POW Officer'?" Newkirk asked, a bit harsh.

"Colonel's only been sick for five days, and you're already quitting on him?!" Carter cried, offended.

"Colonel Hogan's current medical condition is severe and his outcomes as of now are not promising. Until he wakes up or succumbs to his ailment, Colonel Matthews is the new Senior POW Officer.. I expect you men to treat him with the same respect you treat Colonel Hogan." Klink retorted, annoyed. He was not too fond of the new officer himself, but with Hochstetter and the gestapo here and Hogan's survival rate unknown as of now, he was fed up with any arguments. With that, Klink turned sharply on his boot and closed the barracks door leaving Matthews with Hogan's four men and several others in the barracks eyeing the new colonel. Matthews glared at all of them, as all the men in barracks two returned to the new officer.

"Alright, gentlemen, listen up; now I'm the new guy in charge, so that means that you follow my rules instead of what this 'Colonel Hogan' has told you." Matthews spoke, cocky.

"Colonel Hogan still has a chance at coming back, you know. He's not a lost cause." Olsen said, simply.

"Oh, that man's _bound _to die from his injuries. After what the Kommandant said to me, he'll be lucky enough to even hear voices while unconscious." Matthews said, smiling with arrogance.

Hogan's core unit grew dead silent. Kinch, Newkirk, and LeBeau were all giving the new commanding officer dirty looks. How dare he come into this camp and start bad mouthing Hogan in just the first thirty seconds he had been there. There was absolute silence between the men for a long period, before Carter ended the silence.

"Well, hi there." Carter said, friendly.

Matthews continued glaring at Hogan's core unit carefully. He did not like any of them, especially the four before him. He had light brown hair, was the same height as Hogan, a little more thin than Hogan was, and had cold, dead blue eyes.

Newkirk approached the officer cautiously yet with authority and looked him straight in the eye with fire brimmed in his green eyes.

"I don't know what you plan on doing here, 'Colonel', but I for one am not listening to anything you say, unless you're my mate, Kinch, over here." Newkirk sneered, coolly. Anyone besides Hogan, he found an irritant and disgrace as a commanding officer. He had a particular dislike for military officers, but Hogan was his only exception. The man who was currently fighting for his life was one he respected, looked up to, and cared about deeply, as did Kinch, LeBeau, and Carter felt the same way.

"_Oui_; you are _not _the Colonel." LeBeau hissed.

"I don't know who you two think you are, but _I'm _the one in charge around her, for now, so I expect to be shown some respect." Matthews growled.

It was Kinch's turn to step forward. He crossed his arms and looked coolly into the colonel's eyes.

"My friends have already stated here they won't listen to you unless spoken from my mouth, so I would come to acceptance with it." Kinch stated, calmly. He had a particular dislike of the man himself, but he could not pick up on the reason why.

Matthews grinded his jaw slowly. He did not have a liking towards African Americans, and he was not afraid to show his opinion, either.

"Unless you're Colonel Hogan, _none _of us will give you the time of day, so deal with it." LeBeau said, smug.

"I don't know who this Colonel Hogan is, but I am not afraid of whoever the pig may be. He sounds weak, a coward, a disgrace to his uniform, and probably a Nazi Kraut working in secrecy." Matthews snarled.

"Why I outta," Newkirk growled, when Kinch grabbed hold of his arm that was clenching into a fist.

"Don't give him the time of day, Newkirk. He's trying to rile us up." Kinch answered, calmly, yet smug.

"Listen to me, and listen to me good, _Colonel_; you do not _speak _about the Gov'nor, you don't _touch_ the Gov'nor, I don't even want yah _thinking _about Colonel Hogan, understand?" Newkirk threatened.

"You don't deserve to know someone like the Colonel." LeBeau snarled.

Matthews glared at the three confronting him, then he turned his attention to Carter, who had been quiet through all of this. He saw the young sergeant seem slightly afraid of him and intimidated. He smirked.

"Cat got your tongue, Sergeant, or does this Colonel Hogan mean nothing to you?" Matthews stated.

"You leave my mate, Andrew, alone, yah hear me?" Newkirk snapped.

"I wanna hear it come out of _his _mouth." Matthews hissed, staring down Carter.

Carter gulped before answering. "You leave Colonel Hogan alone! He's done nothing to you!"

"I don't care about your precious 'Colonel Hogan', whoever he may be. I don't give sympathy towards a Nazi spy. A disgrace of a commanding officer, if I ever heard of one." Matthews barked.

"Say one more thing about Colonel Hogan, and I'll beat your no good, sorry," Newkirk snarled, both Kinch and LeBeau holding onto him, before the Englishman did anything he would later regret.

"Newkirk, calm down. You know Colonel didn't approve of fighting." Kinch ordered.

"Yah hear what he's calling the Gov'nor?! You want me to act as if it means nothing?!" Newkirk cried back.

"We know it's not true, and most importantly Colonel knew it wasn't true; that's all that matters." Kinch replied.

He and LeBeau saw Newkirk relax and let go of him.

Matthews looked around and finally turned back to Kinch, who he was disgusted with.

"Where do I sleep?" Matthews asked, harsh.

"On that vacant bunk, right there." LeBeau replied, pointing to an unused bottom bunk in the corner.

Matthews turned and looked behind him to see Hogan's room.

"What about in there?" Matthews asked, coldly.

"That's Colonel Hogan's room, and if any of us catch you going in there, I'll give Newkirk permission here to sock your face." Kinch snarled.

All of the prisoners, including Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter, were shocked at hearing the tone of Kinch's voice. They had never heard him sound so angry in their lives.

Matthews grinded his jaw, again, walked over to the bunk, slammed his stuff down, then stormed out of the barracks slamming the door so hard, they all thought it would fall off.

"Olsen, watch the door; make sure to let us know, when he comes back." Kinch said, friendly.

"Got it, Boss." Olsen replied, and he hurried his way to the door.

Newkirk, LeBeau, Carter, and Kinch all sat at the table drinking their cups of coffee and began talking to one another.

"Who does that Yankee think he is calling the Gov'nor such ill things?" Newkirk hissed.

"I say we do away with him." LeBeau said, using his finger to pretend slicing his neck.

"We're not killing anybody. I wanna kick him in the mouth myself for what filth he said regarding Colonel, but we all will respect Colonel's policy, while he's gone. He'd be furious to return and find out that we committed a homicide going against his rules." Kinch said before taking a drink of coffee.

Carter sighed sadly and put his face in one of his hands.

"I miss him." Carter whimpered, fighting back tears.

Newkirk gave his best friend a sympathetic smile.

"Don't worry, Andrew; Colonel's gonna be back before we know it. I'll tell him yah say 'hi', when Louis and I go visit him, tonight." Newkirk replied, friendly.

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid we're gonna have to reschedule seeing Colonel, tonight." Kinch said, sadly.

"But why, _mon ami_?" LeBeau whined.

"I was gonna tell you guys after roll call, but with Matthews showing up with Hochstetter, it slipped my mind. I got a message from the Underground earlier this morning. They want us to get a downed flyer, one of Germany's most wanted, out of here and to meet with one of their operatives tonight regarding it." Kinch said.

"Are you kidding me?!" LeBeau cried.

"With Hochstetter and Burkhalter suspicious of Colonel being behind all the explosions?!" Carter exclaimed.

"Great, that's just bloody marvelous. We're all gonna get shot in front of a firing squad, and Colonel won't even get a _chance_ to wake up from his coma!" Newkirk groaned, angry.

"Maybe we can use this assignment to our advantage, guys." Kinch said, starting to think.

"What do you mean, Kinch?" Carter asked.

"If we successfully get this guy out of Germany, it'll make Hochstetter believe Colonel Hogan is behind it all." Kinch began.

"And with Colonel being in a coma, Burkhalter and Klink will find his claim so ridiculous, they'll drop the entire thing regarding the ball bearing plant explosion!" Newkirk brightened up.

"Exactly,"

"That's brilliant, _mon ami_...but how do we do it?" LeBeau asked.

"I don't know, yet; right now, we need to get through tonight and safely. We have to meet someone at the Hofbrau by the codename, Moonlight." Kinch said. He turned to Newkirk. "Newkirk, you and Louis will go out tonight in gestapo uniforms for protection purposes. We can't risk us getting caught, especially not with Hochstetter having evidence of Colonel's hat being at the explosion site. You'll be a captain, and Louis will be a lieutenant."

"Why do _I _always have to be the second in command?" LeBeau murmured, disapproving of his ranking.

"Do you have any description of this 'Moonlight', so we know who to look for?" Newkirk asked.

"All they said was that they're a singer at the Hofbrau, and they'll meet the two of you there, tonight. Actually, they asked that Papa Bear meet them there, but I let the Underground know our current situation and Colonel's current medical condition. They send their prayers and thoughts to Colonel." Kinch answered.

Newkirk sighed.

"I'm willing to do it for the Gov'nor." Newkirk said. After everything Hogan had done for him and everyone else in camp and for so many people who were now safe and out of Germany, he owed him at _least _that much. Heck, he owed the American his life, after all the times Hogan had risked his life for theirs.

"Me too, Pierre." LeBeau said, proudly.

"I also think it would be best that we didn't let our new commanding officer in on the operation we run here. Something about him I just don't feel right about." Kinch answered.

"I agree," Newkirk added.

"No way; your instincts are usually right, Kinch." LeBeau said.

"Anything to protect Colonel from getting hurt." Carter replied.

"I wonder how our old Colonel's doing, now." Newkirk wondered.

"I'll call Richard after lunch and check in with him. I'd feel better knowing he's alright, anyways." Kinch said.

"Me too," LeBeau said.

"That goes for me as well, mate." Newkirk said.

Carter simply nodded in agreement.

All four men sighed sadly. They missed Hogan and wanted him there with them, right now..._especially _now. He would know what to do to get them out of the mess they were currently stuck in. He always had an idea of what to do regarding situations, especially the ones they felt were impossible to conquer. That's why this mission was so important, now. The four men had a commanding officer to protect, a commanding officer that was their friend and one that they would willingly lay their lives on the line for.

* * *

Night soon fell, and Newkirk and LeBeau headed out to the Hofbrau in the city of Hammelburg. Newkirk, Captain Otto Nussbaum, and LeBeau, Lieutenant Fritz Conzelmann, made it to the Hofbrau after about an hour of walking in the forest. The man at the bar, Norman, or known by his codename, Black Raven, was part of the Underground. Should Newkirk and LeBeau had any trouble finding this Moonlight person, they knew they had someone there who would help them out.

The two men entered into the restaurant, and Newkirk lifted his cap slightly to Norman.

"Good evening, sir." Newkirk spoke in his best German accent.

Norman waved back and let he and LeBeau carry out on business. The two men sat down at a table and started looking through a menu for something to drink, as they waited for Moonlight.

"What looks good to you, Newkirk?" LeBeau asked, softly.

"At the moment, nothing." Newkirk replied.

"What do you think Moonlight looks like?"

"We'll know eventually."

The two became silent, until LeBeau looked over and saw a stage set up with a microphone and several gestapo officers and German civilians gathering around it and standing as they waited.

"Hey, _mon ami_; look. Let's go watch." LeBeau spoke, a slight louder than before.

Newkirk sighed.

"Alright, Louis; but if one gestapo Kraut comes up to us, I'll wring your bloody neck." Newkirk threatened. After the whole accident with Hogan and Hochstetter finding Hogan's hat at the crime scene, the Englander had a strong dislike for Germans, currently.

The two men rose stood in the far middle, near the back. The less attention they attracted, the better.

Just then, a man walked out on stage, the audience clapped, and the lights grew dim.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's performance. We hope you enjoy our variety of singers and dancing acts. Our first performance is by a young girl with a remarkable voice and a God given talent. Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Barbara Wagner." The man announced and got off the stage.

The man got off the stage and a lady came out in a sparkling black dress, black high heels that were not all that high, and had short black hair with chocolate brown eyes. Barbara started dancing and singing, and LeBeau became mesmerized with her beauty. He was stunned at how beautiful she was.

"_Elle est très belle_." LeBeau gasped, swooning over the stranger.

Newkirk looked over at LeBeau and rolled his eyes. "Blimey," Newkirk muttered. With the fact of the operation on the verge of exposure, not to mention that Hogan was clinging to life by a thread at the same time, the last thing he cared about was girls. And LeBeau swooning over a complete stranger was pushing his patience to the edge of the cliff.

Barbara during her song noticed LeBeau and winked at him. The Frenchman was bashful yet proud. When she finished, the crowd clapped, and LeBeau clapped the most. Newkirk, finding his behavior compulsive, grabbed both of LeBeau's hands and held them together to stop their incessant clapping. The girl stepped down from the stage and sat down at a table suspiciously. Wondering if she was the Underground contact, Newkirk and LeBeau made their way over to her, and the Englander began the coded message.

"Nice night out, tonight." Newkirk said to particularly no one.

"Nice full moon out." Barbara replied.

"I'm glad I haven't seen any bears out in the forest while on patrol."

"Especially a papa bear."

Knowing she was the one, Newkirk and LeBeau sat down in front of her at the table. Newkirk shook her hand, then LeBeau took it and kissed it, making Newkirk again roll his eyes towards the heavens.

"You two were sent by Papa Bear?" She asked, quietly.

Newkirk was silent for a moment. He decided to hide the fact the Hogan was currently in the hospital from an accident on a mission, just to be extra cautious with everything that had recently happened.

"Not directly, but yes." He answered.

"You're English," She spoke.

"Right you are, Ma'am."

"You have the most prettiest eyes, _ma chéri_." LeBeau said, softly.

"And a Frenchman." Barbara commented, smiling.

"_Oui_," LeBeau said, smiling.

Newkirk shook his head then turned his attention back on the girl.

"Ignore him," He replied, slightly annoyed with his little friend.

"I guess by your uniforms you work undercover as gestapo agents." Barbara spoke.

"...sure...you could say that." Newkirk answered. He was not exactly sure who to trust at the moment, so decided that not giving their actual names and where they actually resided would be the best route to go.

"Do you know my uncle?"

"Of course we know your uncle…" Newkirk chuckled, then swallowed a knot in his throat. The Underground lady was related to someone in the gestapo. He prayed it was their Underground contact known as Bluebird, Hochstetter's second in command. "Just...who _is _your uncle, anyways?" Newkirk looked over at LeBeau, and noticed him tighten up a bit at the new information he had just heard.

"Well, the most widely known gestapo agent in the area. Major Wolfgang Hochstetter." Barbara said, softly.


	7. Chapter 7

Newkirk and LeBeau went into complete shock after hearing Barbara's answer. Did they hear her exactly right, or were they just so consumed with Hochstetter that they misheard her on accident.

"Major...Major Hochstetter is your uncle?" Newkirk croaked. He suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

"Uncle Wolfgang, you know him?" Barbara asked.

Newkirk and LeBeau gulped and slowly nodded.

"All too well," Newkirk murmured, giving a smile to hide his fear slowly consuming him.

"What about the flyer we're suppose to get out of Germany" LeBeau said, voice quivering.

"Right now, he's in hiding with one of our contacts known as Vulture." Barbara answered.

"We know Vulture; we've worked with him, before." Newkirk said.

"He'll meet with you two in about another five days and will have the flyer with him." Barbara said.

"What's this bloke's name, anyways?"

"USA Army Air Corps. officer, Colonel Jerry Winters."

"Jerry Winters...he's one of the best commanding officers of the United States Air Force, right now."

"Correct, which is why his return to England is essential."

Newkirk nodded. "Thank you, Barbara; we'll report this back to Papa Bear." Newkirk said, rising to his feet.

"Au revoir, beautiful." LeBeau said, smiling.

"Would you go?" Newkirk snarled, softly.

The two men left the Hofbrau in a hurry, leaving Barbara by herself.

* * *

Kinch was pacing back and forth, as Carter sat at the table with a cup of coffee. With the evidence the gestapo currently had on Hogan, the two men were worried sick about if Newkirk and LeBeau were alright, and if they were coming home, soon. As for the rest of the prisoners, they were all asleep, and Matthews had gone out for an evening stroll, after curfew, that is. Olsen was keeping watch at the door for him to come back.

"Don't worry, Kinch; I'm sure they're alright. Newkirk and Louis are both smart." Carter said, trying to be optimistic. It was kind of hard to think like that, when his commanding officer and best friend was currently fighting for his life in the hospital.

Kinch continued pacing, when the fake bunk opened, and Newkirk and LeBeau came out in their Allied uniforms. They both looked like they had seen a ghost. The African American turned around and sighed with relief.

"Thank God you guys are here. How did it go?" Kinch paused, when he saw the look on both of their faces. "What's wrong; you two look like you just saw someone rise from the dead."

"I wish it were that, mate." Newkirk shivered.

"What is it, buddy?" Carter asked, worried.

"The girl we made contact with, tonight...you'll never believe what she told us."

"Is it about the flyer?" Kinch asked, concerned.

"Worse," LeBeau spoke, still in slight shock.

"What," Kinch asked, growing impatient

"The girl, Barbara, her uncle is Major Hochstetter." Newkirk croaked out.

"Hochstetter," Carter and Kinch exclaimed.

Both the Englander and Frenchman nodded.

"Holy cats," Kinch gasped, rubbing the side of his cheek.

"How...it just can't be. How can a beautiful girl like that be related to someone like Hochstetter?!" LeBeau cried.

"Would yah forget about the girl, Louis?! We got bigger problems than your love life, right now." Newkirk retorted, agitated.

"Did you get the information, though?" Kinch asked.

"Yes...if it's true, that is." Newkirk answered.

"She said Vulture would meet with us in five days with the flyer at the usual rendezvous point." LeBeau said.

"Colonel Jerry Winters of the USA Army Air Corps." Newkirk added.

"Colonel Winters...he's almost as good as Colonel!" Kinch spoke, stunned. No wonder the Underground wanted him out of Germany quickly.

"Let's just hope he's more pleasant than Monsieur Bleh, wherever he is." LeBeau said, smug.

"Where is that Yankee, anyways?" Newkirk asked.

"He went for a walk around the camp. Apparently, he doesn't care about Klink's rules." Carter answered. There was a brief moment of silence, before Newkirk ended it.

"What do yah think, Kinch; you think we can trust Barbara?"

"I don't know; it's a tricky call to make." Kinch replied.

"Well I for one am not trusting anyone that's related to that Kraut." Newkirk said, his mind made up.

"Give her a chance, Pierre. She's innocent, I tell you." LeBeau replied, defending the girl he was currently madly in love with.

"LeBeau, you've got it bad, kid." Kinch said, shaking his head.

"You should've seen her, mon ami. She looks and sounds like an angel!"

"Maybe Richard could help us figure out whether or not to trust this Barbara girl." Carter suggested, regarding the doctor currently caring for Hogan.

Kinch turned around and smiled at Carter.

"Carter, that's an excellent idea." Kinch said, smiling boldly.

Carter blushed.

"Aw, gee, Kinch...you're embarrassing me." Carter said, softly, as he hung his head.

Kinch smirked and patted the young sergeant's back gently.

"We can talk to him, when we go out and visit Colonel tomorrow night." Newkirk said, referring to he and LeBeau.

"That would be great, Newkirk." Kinch said.

"Hochstetter...but how...why?! It just doesn't make sense! Why would Hochstetter's niece be working for the Underground?" Newkirk cried, trying to get it to make sense in his mind.

"Have you met the man? I wouldn't be surprised if Hochstetter's own wife turned on him with the kind of attitude he goes walking around with." LeBeau responded.

"Well, we can trust Vulture, that's for sure. It's just rather whether or not he'll actually be there that concerns me. It could be a trap to send us straight into the gestapo's grasp. Then take us back to their headquarters, learn about the operation, and Colonel's then a goner." Kinch added in.

"We'll all know what to do, when tomorrow night comes. Richard will clear up everything, mates." Newkirk said, confidently.

Everyone had noticed how quiet Carter had grown, and the three of them turned to him.

"You alright, Carter?" Kinch asked.

"Yeah...it's just...I think Colonel should know what's going on." Carter answered, meekly.

"You gotta be bloody joking me, Andrew!" Newkirk exclaimed.

"In his condition?!" LeBeau wailed.

"He deserves to know; I feel horrible about keeping this from him. He may be sick, but he's still our Colonel. How upset would he be with us, if he were here and found out we were keeping this from him?" Carter asked.

Kinch, Newkirk, and LeBeau looked at one another and sighed.

"He's right, you know; the Colonel would be furious with us, if he found out this was going on, and we were keeping it from him, so he could focus on recovering." Kinch stated, being the voice of reason.

"But Kinch, this news could kill him!" Newkirk cried.

"Our Colonel's strong and too stubborn to die. In fact, I think if he knew, he would fight ten times harder to come back to us. You know how much we mean to him."

"What happens if he can't handle the news?" LeBeau worried.

"Richard's taking care of him; he'll make sure nothing happens to him." Kinch said.

Newkirk sighed heavily. "...alright...Louis and I will tell him, tomorrow." Newkirk said, sadly.

"Matthews, Kinch," Olsen warned.

"Alright, everyone sit down and act natural." Kinch said.

The five of them sat down at the table and began pretended to be playing a game of gin with one another, when Matthews walked in and glared at the five of them. After finding out Olsen, Baker, and Wilson were good friends of the little group he was deeply aggravated with, they immediately went on his bad list and so did that 'Colonel Hogan' that the men kept referring to. Whoever he was, Matthews did not like him and wanted him gotten rid of as soon as he could find out where to find him, that is.

"What are you rats doing?" Matthews growled.

Newkirk looked up at Matthews then back to his friends.

"Oh look, Kinch; we do have termites, after all." Newkirk said, with a smug tone.

"I will not be referred to as a worthless animal by such incompetent, stuck up enlisted men such as yourselves." Matthews hissed.

"Matthews, don't trash talk yourself like that; it's really bad self-esteem boosting." LeBeau remarked.

The five men at the table were trying to hold back from laughing. They were enjoying this all too well despite the fact they absolutely hated the man.

"You'll address me as 'Colonel' or 'Sir', Frenchy, got it?" Matthews ordered.

"Frenchy; why don't you come closer and say that to my face!" LeBeau snapped back.

As LeBeau got to his feet, Kinch yanked his arm to make him sit back down. LeBeau looked over and saw the look in his current commanding officer's eyes. He sighed and nodded, then went back to looking at his hand of cards.

Matthews grinded his jaw then walked over and laid down in his bunk for the night. The five men sighed and went back to their game that they began to actually started to play a hand.

* * *

Newkirk and LeBeau left for the hospital in gestapo uniforms with the same names they had used the previous night, when they met Barbara. They were greeted by Dr. Klaussner, who was at the information desk looking over papers on his clipboard. He smiled and walked up to the men.

"Good evening, gentlemen. How can I help you this evening?" Dr. Klaussner put on the act as if he had never seen them before and had no idea who they were there to see for protection, as always.

"I'm Captain Otto Nussbaum; this is Lieutenant Fritz Conzelmann. We would like to see a Colonel Robert Hogan from the United States Army Air Corps. We were told he is in this hospital in critical condition." Newkirk said, with a convincing German accent.

Dr. Klaussner nodded.

"Follow me, gentlemen." Dr. Klaussner said, gesturing to the elevators.

The three of them arrived on their floor, and Newkirk and LeBeau walked to Hogan's room. The Englander opened the door and the two were greeted with the same sight as last time. Hogan was still white like paper, hooked up to an IV and oxygen assistance, his right hand on his swollen belly from surgery and the wound itself, and was as lively as the dead.

Newkirk and LeBeau sighed then approached their commanding officer. Newkirk sat down besides Hogan's legs on the right side of him, and LeBeau stood besides Newkirk, as they began socializing and visiting with their very ill friend.

"Hey, Gov'nor; it's ol' Newkirk and LeBeau, here...you look better today, sir." Newkirk lied, hoping it would have some magical effect on his colonel. Sadly, nothing happened.

"Olsen, Baker, and Wilson all say hi, Colonel. We all miss you so much. You've gotta wake up and come back to us, Colonel." LeBeau pleaded.

Hogan remained silent.

Newkirk sighed.

"Gov'nor, yah gotta come back to us. We miss you like crazy; your smile, your laugh, your voice, your wisecracks during roll call and making Klink furious...it's not the same back at camp without you there." Newkirk sadly said.

"Oui, Colonel; Pierre's right. In fact, we're swarming with stress up to our necks, right now without you. There's a new colonel in camp...Colonel Matthews, or Monsieur Bleh, as the rest of us like to call him. He's nothing compared to you." LeBeau said, disgusted that such a man could hold such high command.

"He's an insult to what you do, sir, and the things he says about you; you're just lucky Kinch and Louis were here. I would've socked him one in the kisser by now."

Both men grew quiet and swallowed a knot in their throat. They knew what they had to do. Newkirk swallowed again and began talking.

"Gov'nor...we got some pretty serious news we have to tell you...and I'm not sure how you're gonna react to it." Newkirk began. He struggled to find the correct words on how to break it to his commanding officer as easily as possible. There was no easy way, Newkirk thought to himself. He swallowed again, and continued talking. "Sir...your hat was left at the explosion site the night you got hurt...and Major Hochstetter found it. There's gestapo everywhere, we're lucky enough to still be able to complete assignments...and Burkhalter and the old Kommandant have agreed to let Hochstetter continue his investigation...he's dangerously close to figuring us out, Colonel...and we're scared."

"Colonel, we only kept this from you, because we want you to get healthy again as soon as possible. We want you to come back to us, Colonel...we miss you...we need you, now." LeBeau softly said.

"The Underground's also given us an assignment on getting a downed flyer back to England...Colonel Jerry Winters, if you know him, which I'm sure you do. Kinch thinks if we successfully complete this mission, Hochstetter will forget about the investigation, and Burkhalter will order him back to Hammelburg Headquarters...there's also this new Underground contact we've been assigned to work with...her name's Barbara Wagner, or Moonlight, by codename."

"She's absolutely beautiful, mon Colonel!"

"Oh, stop that," Newkirk said, turning to LeBeau. He shook his head with his eyes up towards the ceiling, then he returned his attention to Hogan. "Sir...you're never gonna believe what we tell you next, but...Barbara's uncle is Major Hochstetter...we're gonna ask Richard whether or not we can trust her after visiting with you, but we all thought you deserved to know what's going on, right now...you are and always will be our Colonel, Gov'nor."

Newkirk and LeBeau sighed and hung their heads. There was a long period of silence, before they all heard a machine start making alerting noises. The two men of Hogan's snapped their attention towards his heart monitor and saw that the lines were being made fast and rapid.

"Get Richard, Louis...hurry!" Newkirk exclaimed.

LeBeau rushed to the door as fast as he could. Newkirk grabbed hold of Hogan's left hand and held it tight in his.

"Dr. Klaussner, help! Help, Dr. Klaussner, help!" LeBeau wailed.

"Don't quit on us, Gov'nor...don't die on us, now...stay here with us, Gov'nor, please!" Newkirk pleaded.


	8. Chapter 8

Dr. Klaussner came running down the halls with his assistant, another Underground member, behind him. They hurried into Hogan's room, and Dr. Klaussner rushed to Hogan's bedside and saw his heart monitor continue its rapid, fast motions. Newkirk quickly got out of the way to let the doctor take care of Hogan.

"He's suffering from cardiac arrhythmia! Get me a shot of adenosine, hurry!" Dr. Klaussner ordered his assistant. His assistant ran out of the room to get the vaccination. The old doctor returned his attention to Hogan and took a firm grip of his shoulder. "Come on, Robert; stay with us, now, stay here with us...you got too many people that love you and need you to die now. Don't quit on me, Robert!"

The assistant rushed back with a vaccine filled with clear liquid and handed it to Dr. Klaussner. The doctor quickly took the vaccine and immediately injected it into Hogan's IV stream. Several moments passed by, before Hogan's heart monitor returned back to normal. Dr. Klaussner sighed with relief, and so did Newkirk and LeBeau, who were standing in the corner.

"Thank God," Newkirk sighed, a hand over his chest.

"That'll be all, Doctor." Dr. Klaussner said, dismissing his assistant. The assistant nodded and left the room. Dr. Klaussner rose from his spot after making sure Hogan was again stable and made his way towards Newkirk and LeBeau. He signaled them to follow him into the hall. Both men did and soon the three of them were in the outdoor hallway now talking. Dr. Klaussner softly closed Hogan's door and began talking. "What happened?"

"I don't know...we were telling Colonel what was going on right now, and his heart machine went off its rocker." Newkirk answered.

"What?! Why'd you go and do that; you could've killed the man in his condition!" Dr. Klaussner snarled.

"Wait a minute...does that mean he can hear us?!" LeBeau cried, starting to smile.

Dr. Klaussner sighed and hung his head.

"Possibly...it could've been also his heart being so weak and not enough oxygen and blood is getting to it in time." Dr. Klaussner softly answered.

"No way; Gov'nor's too healthy to have heart problems." Newkirk replied, confident.

"Just keep information like that from now on to yourselves, just until he's a bit stronger."

"Yes, sir,"

"Oui, Dr. Klaussner." LeBeau said softly.

"Doctor," Newkirk started, as Dr. Klaussner was about to leave.

The old man stopped and remained where he was.

"Yes, Newkirk," Dr. Klaussner said.

"Sir, we need to talk to you about something...after we say 'bye' to Colonel, that is." Newkirk answered.

Dr. Klaussner nodded.

"I'll be in my office, when you two are ready." Dr. Klaussner said.

The two men nodded and watched Dr. Klaussner leave. After he was gone, both Newkirk and LeBeau walked back in quietly to Hogan's room and again took their same spots as before.

"Gov'nor...we gotta go, now, but I promise yah we'll be back faster than you know it. Kommandant's letting us come back tomorrow evening after dinner." Newkirk said, softly.

"I'll bring you the most prettiest flowers from Klink's garden, mon Colonel." LeBeau said.

Newkirk patted Hogan's shoulder gently then stood up.

"Bye, Gov'nor." Newkirk said, with a sad smile.

"Au revoir, mon Colonel. Get better real soon." LeBeau said with the same smile.

Both men sadly walked out of the room and made their way towards Dr. Klaussner's office.

* * *

Dr. Klaussner was working on paperwork, when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Dr. Klaussner greeted, busy with work.

Newkirk and LeBeau quietly came in and sat down in the two chairs in front of him. Dr. Klaussner looked up from his work, set it aside, then turned his attention to his two friends and set his hands in front of him on top of his desk.

"So, what's going on? I assume it's nothing medical with you two, unless it's about Hogan." Dr. Klaussner said.

"First off, how's he doing? Any progress of any kind?" Newkirk asked.

"I wish there were some progress to report. Hogan's been the exact same, since the night you brought him in. If you're going to ask when he may wake up, I don't know that answer. That's up for both God and your Colonel to decide. I can't do anymore for him than what I'm already doing, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Richard; you're doing everything you can, that's all that matters."

"But you're right about us not being here regarding that." LeBeau added.

"Then what is it?" Dr. Klaussner asked, friendly.

"Do you know a person with the Underground by the name of Barbara Wagner, codename Moonlight?" Newkirk asked.

"I do; have you met her?" Dr. Klaussner asked.

Both Newkirk and LeBeau gulped. Was Dr. Klaussner being tricked, too?

"Yes, sir," Newkirk said, quivering in fear.

Dr. Klaussner chuckled, which concerned both Newkirk and LeBeau.

"What's so funny?" Newkirk asked, starting to get angry.

"I'm assuming you know who her uncle is then, by the looks on your faces." Dr. Klaussner replied, smirking.

"Is she safe, Richard? Can we trust her?" LeBeau asked.

"She's as safe as they come. She may love her uncle, but what he does is completely against her morals. She's a loyal Underground member and has never regretted her choice once." Dr. Klaussner said.

"How sure are you about her?" Newkirk asked.

Dr. Klaussner smiled.

"As certain as I am that you two, Carter, and Kinch all love Colonel Hogan." Dr. Klaussner answered.

Newkirk and LeBeau smiled. They could not say no to that. If Dr. Klaussner was as sure about Barbara as he was about that, then both men knew she could be trusted. Newkirk and LeBeau both nodded in agreement.

"Alright, we can trust her, then. Thank you, Richard." Newkirk said, smiling.

"You're welcome." Dr. Klaussner said.

Newkirk and LeBeau rose from their chairs and were about to leave to go home, when there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Dr. Klaussner asked.

"It's Major Hochstetter, Doctor." Hochstetter's muffled voice said.

Both Newkirk and LeBeau grew tense and afraid, then snapped their heads to Dr. Klaussner for help.

"Get in my closet, and don't say a word or make any movements." Dr. Klaussner ordered softly.

The two men in gestapo uniforms hurried silently into Dr. Klaussner's coat closet and closed the door then stood as silent as they could, while listening in on what would go on between both Dr. Klaussner and Hochstetter.

Knowing his two friends were now safe, Dr. Klaussner opened the door and gestured for Hochstetter to come in.

"Danke," Hochstetter said, slightly in a friendlier tone. The gestapo major sat down in front of Dr. Klaussner's desk, and Dr. Klaussner sat back down in his desk, again.

"What can I do for you, Major? You came not too many nights ago asking questions regarding a patient of mine." Dr. Klaussner said, crossing his legs.

"Yes, uh, I'm here to know if you have noticed anything suspicious going on in the past couple of days. Seen anyone unfamiliar or suspicious looking to you around the hospital after about 24 hours after the explosion of the ball bearing plant?" Hochstetter asked.

"Not that I noticed, Major. I don't see many people on this floor that look too incredulous to report."

"Any phone calls you've received?"

"Nothing more than my usual patients and their families calling with concerns, questions, or comments. Why, do you think the suspect is roaming around the area?"

"I would not be surprised. I highly doubt the man is out of Germany, yet. And with all my patrols out on watch, I highly doubt someone that is acting strange would get passed."

"I'm sorry, Major, I haven't heard or seen anything. I'll report to you the minute I notice something, though."

"That will be very nice, Doctor." Hochstetter said rising from his seat. His lifted his cap to bid Dr. Klaussner farewell, and he was soon gone.

After seeing it was safe, Dr. Klaussner walked over to the closet and let Newkirk and LeBeau out.

"Thanks, mate," Newkirk said.

"I guess we should be heading back to camp, now." LeBeau answered.

"I think that would be your safest bet...and be careful of all those patrol officers out there. Colonel Hogan would kill, if he knew his men were in danger." Dr. Klaussner begged.

"Don't worry, Richard; we'll get by 'em." Newkirk said, grinning.

Dr. Klaussner nodded and both Newkirk and LeBeau then left.

* * *

The next day arrived, and it was quite uneventful. Nothing much went on around camp besides prisoners socializing, playing games, or the men of barracks two and the rest of camp giving smug looks to and talking ill of Matthews, who hated the prisoners just as much as they hated him.

Newkirk, Carter, Kinch, and LeBeau were sitting at the table drinking coffee and talking with one another about visiting Hogan and what to do now that they knew they could trust Barbara in getting the downed flyer out of Germany and to London safely. Olsen was keeping watch at the door with Baker, and Matthews was outside reading a book sitting on the front steps of the Kommandant's office.

"Well, now that we know Barbara's safe to talk to, what do we do about that flyer?" Newkirk asked.

"I knew she was innocent the moment I saw her, Kinch. No girl so beautiful and magnificent as she is could be so foul." LeBeau spoke, mesmerized by his love, once again.

"Oh, Louis; give it up for a while, would yah?" Newkirk pleaded, with a slight hint of agitation in his voice. He was not so sure how much longer he could put up with his friend's lovestruck attitude towards Hochstetter's niece. To be honest, he found it kind of weird that LeBeau was in love with a relative of the Hochstetter family.

"First, we need to get a room ready for him in the tunnel. LeBeau, Newkirk, you two can work on that, for now. Louis and I we'll go out on Thursday night to bring him back to camp through the emergency tunnel." Kinch began. His brain was rendering of ideas on how to get Colonel Winters out of Germany. Many of their ideas would work perfectly well in normal situations. This time, however, it was not a usual situation. There were gestapo patrols all over the place, a gestapo guard posted outside the front gates of Stalag 13, and Hochstetter and Burkhalter were constantly visiting with Klink investigating the camp with surprise visits and questioning several prisoners. Kinch and the rest were just glad that Hochstetter had finally finished with questioning everyone in their barracks.

"Oui, mon ami." LeBeau answered. He knew his duties assigned to him.

"I'm not much of a housekeeper, but I'll make do, Kinch." Newkirk said.

"I can't wait to go see Colonel!" Carter cheered. He was excited to see Hogan, again. In a coma or not, he missed him terribly.

Kinch sighed.

"That's another thing...one of us is gonna have to stay here, while the rest go to see Colonel in the hospital. We'll bring Wilson instead, so he can see how the Colonel's doing and report back to Klink, if Dr. Klaussner's too busy with other patients." Kinch said, grim.

"Well certainly not you, mon ami. These are the only times you can see Colonel without suspicion or attention being dragged to us. And I promised the Colonel I would bring him a nice bouquet of flowers." LeBeau stated.

"And I've got a guilty conscience to satisfy, so I can't stay here, either." Newkirk added.

"Why do I gotta stay behind, though?" Carter whined.

"Somebody's gotta stay behind with everything going on, right now. If something bad happens while we're gone, we need one of us here to fix it and hold down the fort. The prisoners are certainly not gonna listen to Mr. Big Shot here." Kinch said.

"But I haven't seen Colonel in a week...I miss him!" Carter whimpered. He hung his head and sighed sadly. Looks like he was just gonna have to wait longer, until he could see Hogan, again.

LeBeau sighed, feeling bad for his friend. He had seen Hogan last night, and Carter could always bring the flowers to Hogan, too. He gave Carter a friendly smile.

"I'll stay, André; you go see Colonel." LeBeau said.

"Are you sure, buddy? I mean, I'm not the only one who misses him." Carter replied, unsure about it.

"I saw him last night, and you can bring him the flowers...any of us can go pull flowers from Kommandant's garden."

"Well gee, thanks, Louis!"

"Alright, gentlemen; I say we get going. We wanna get as much time with Colonel as we can." Kinch said.

"You bet we do!" Carter cheered.

"Let's get to barracks twelve." Newkirk said.

The three men left to go retrieve Wilson, which then the four of them would go find Klink and tell him they were ready to leave.

* * *

Klink was standing by his staff car in front of the Kommandantur's pacing back and forth with Schultz standing guard. The old German colonel was getting tired of waiting for the prisoners. Just as he was about to march off to barracks two and tell Hogan's core unit the visit was off, Kinch, Carter, Newkirk, and Wilson hurried over to where Klink was pacing. Klink stopped and snapped his attention at the four men.

"What took you gentlemen so long, and why is Sergeant Wilson coming along instead of the cockroach?" Klink demanded.

"LeBeau's not feeling well, so I told him to stay back and take care of himself. His stomach wasn't feeling all that well. I suspect it was the stuff we had for lunch, today." Wilson reported, covering up from what the real reason was for him not coming.

"Sergeant Wilson, there will be no insulting the food that's made in the mess hall." Klink ordered.

"Come on, Kommandant; even you don't like the food in the mess hall." Kinch said.

Klink eyed the one currently in command of Stalag 13, unknowing that fact. He fell silent for a brief moment, before he answered, again.

"Are you men ready, or not?" Klink spat.

"Ready, sir." Newkirk said.

"I'm all already, and I got flowers for Colonel." Carter said, holding up the bouquet of flowers picked from Klink's garden.

Klink smiled at first, seeing how pretty the flowers were, then glared at Carter, when he realized one very important thing..

"Those flowers are from my garden!" Klink hissed.

"How would you feel, if someone didn't bring you flowers, when you were sick." Newkirk remarked.

"Hrummph," Klink moaned, shaking his fist in fury.

The Kommandant got into the driver's seat, and the four men got into the back, Kinch riding in the passenger side of the car, and they were off to the hospital.

* * *

Olsen was keeping watch at the door, while Baker and LeBeau were busy in the tunnel working on something. Matthews had gone to the recreational center to work out, since anywhere else he was unwelcomed.

LeBeau came out and looked up at Olsen.

"Olsen, come down here; we need your help, mon ami." LeBeau said.

"Someone's gotta watch the door, Louis." Olsen replied.

"Don't worry, we'll close the tunnel entrance; no one will ever know a thing." LeBeau promised.

Olsen sighed, looked out once more, then closed the door. He walked over to the bunks and climbed into the opening.

"What's going on, Louis?" Olsen asked.

"Well, Carter's lab is…" And that was all what was heard, when the tunnel entrance closed.

The two of them had been completely unaware that after Olsen closed the door, a gestapo staff car pulled into the camp. Hochstetter had silently entered into barracks two and heard voices before the tunnel had closed. When he heard the 'thud', he snapped his head to the right of him and saw nothing more than ordinary bunks. The gestapo agent growled, suspecting there was a hidden tunnel in the barracks.

"I know something is not right in this barracks, and I'll prove it to Burkhalter and Klink, too." Hochstetter sneered.


	9. Chapter 9

Klink, Kinch, Carter, Newkirk, and Wilson arrived at the hospital after about a thirty minute drive from camp. Klink made his way to the receptionist in the lobby and began talking with the pretty lady.

"I'm Kommandant Klink of Stalag 13. I'm here with four prisoners, and we wish to see a Robert Hogan." Klink said, friendly.

"Mr. Hogan is on the 6th floor in the west wing." The receptionist said, a little shy and blushing.

"Thank you, Miss." Klink said, smiling. He turned to the four men and gestured them to the elevator. Before he let them approach, Klink stopped them and spoke. "If any of you try to escape, it'll be the cooler for all of you!" The five of them continued walking, took the elevator up to the 6th floor, and Klink sat down in a chair in the waiting room, as Kinch, Carter, Newkirk, and Wilson walked down the hallways to Hogan's room.

When the four of them entered, they saw Dr. Klaussner writing down some diagnostics and updating Hogan's current condition, when the old man noticed his four friends standing there.

"Good evening, men; Joe, good to see you, again." Dr. Klaussner greeted, friendly.

"Richard," Wilson answered, smiling and nodding.

"Where's LeBeau?" Dr. Klaussner asked.

"He's back at camp maintaining order. We had to have one of us stay behind with everything going on, right now." Kinch answered.

Dr. Klaussner nodded understanding.

"How is he, Doctor?" Newkirk asked.

Dr. Klaussner sighed and shook his head.

"The same," Dr. Klaussner said.

"When are we gonna know something, Doctor; I don't care if it's just one little thing!" Newkirk exclaimed. He was sick and tired of always being told 'I don't know' and 'the same'. He wanted to know whether Hogan was going to live or die.

"I don't know, Newkirk. I'm doing everything I can for him, but I have no control over whether Colonel Hogan wakes up or not. He has serious injuries and an extreme head injury. He's also lost quite a lot of blood that's enough to kill a person." Dr. Klaussner answered, slightly irritated.

Newkirk sighed and closed his eyes. His guilt was starting to act up on him, again.

Dr. Klaussner looked at the Englishman and gave a sympathetic look.

"I understand your concern for your commanding officer; believe me, I'm praying every single night and day that he's gonna wake up...but I don't know anything more, until it happens." Dr. Klaussner said softly.

"Till what happens?" Carter asked, confused.

Kinch shook his head and patted his friend's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Carter." Kinch said, friendly.

"I'll leave you four to visit; besides, I need to see your Kommandant for further treatment options." Dr. Klaussner said.

The four nodded, and let the old doctor leave and silently close the door. Now by themselves, Newkirk sat down besides Hogan's legs, Carter sat down in a chair and put the flowers on Hogan's nightstand, and Kinch and Wilson stood behind the two of them. Hogan looked the exact same and nothing had changed except now he had a green button up sweater over his white hospital gown.

"Hey, Colonel...don't be scared, we're all here with you, now." Newkirk said, trying to sound comforting.

"I brought you flowers, Colonel...I hope you like 'em, when you wake up and see them." Carter softly said, trying to be hopeful. He even forced a smile to try and reassure himself that his commanding officer was going to wake up, again and talk to them, laugh with them, smile at them, again.

"Hey, Rob...remember me...good old Wilson?" Wilson spoke, smiling softly.

Hogan lay still and made no response. The only sound came from the beeping of the heart monitor hooked up to Hogan.

"I'm here, too, Colonel. LeBeau's back at camp holding down everything, until we return. I thought you would wish for one of us there with everything currently going on." Kinch said, giving a small smile.

"I miss you, Colonel...I wanna talk to you again, sir...I wanna hear your voice, again...I want my Colonel back, again." Carter said, starting to tear up, as he said the last part.

Kinch rubbed Carter's back gently, as the young sergeant wiped tears away from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks.

"We could really use you right now, Gov'nor. You'd know what to do to get us out of this mess. None of us can think of brilliant, clever ways to solve a situation like you could, sir. We're running chickens with our heads cut off." Newkirk said, sighing. Seeing Hogan like this was more than torture to any of them.

"Rob, now listen to me. You're the most stubborn man I know alive. Every time you're sick, you always have some excuse as to why you can't see a doctor. Pretend that right now this is one of those times. We need you, Colonel...everyone needs you, for God's sake, even Kommandant Klink needs you! You've gotta wake up, sir." Wilson said, trying to sound like he was giving an order.

"I don't think giving him an order is gonna be enough to wake him up, Joe." Newkirk said.

"Please wake up, Colonel...I miss yah like crazy. No one else will put up with my stupid ideas; you always let me say whatever I want, and it doesn't bother you one bit...actually, it sometimes bothers you, but you get what I mean, Colonel." Carter pleaded.

Newkirk grabbed hold of Hogan's left hand and held onto it tight, squeezing it once and a while.

"Gov'nor, yah gotta come back to us, sir. I think I'll go crazy, if I have to spend another day without you here with us. I know you're probably enjoying all the sleep you're getting, and you deserve a rest, too, but I need you to come back to us...we all want you to come back to us." Newkirk quivered.

Nothing more then relaxed breathing was all Hogan did.

Newkirk sighed and looked up at Kinch, begging him to do something that might bring Hogan back to them. Kinch returned the same sigh and shook his head.

"It's up to him and God, Newkirk...not us, this time." Kinch said, softly.

"Don't you quit fighting, Colonel; fight as strong as you've ever fought, before." Wilson ordered, softly. A hint of fear was heard in his voice.

Newkirk squeezed Hogan's hand, tilted his head up to the ceiling, and closed his eyes tight. Please, God...let him come back to us...bring our Gov'nor back, Newkirk prayed silently.

A soft knock was heard on the door, and Dr. Klaussner walked in softly.

"I'm afraid your Kommandant wants you four to return back to camp, now." Dr. Klaussner said.

"Give us about five minutes, please, Richard?" Kinch asked.

Dr. Klaussner sighed.

"Alright, but I don't guarantee your Kommandant will be very happy with me." Dr. Klaussner said with a sigh.

"Tell him it's our fault." Kinch said, giving a small smile.

Dr. Klaussner nodded and left the room, again. The four returned their attention to their commanding officer and began to say their goodbyes.

"We'll be back soon, Colonel, I promise. This isn't goodbye forever, just for a while. Besides, you probably would want us to get back to camp and try to figure out a way to save the operation, anyways...see yah, Colonel." Kinch said. He patted Hogan's shoulder gently then headed towards the door and waited for his friends. It was Wilson's turn, now.

"Colonel, we need you to wake up, again...we need you to come back to us. Stalag 13 will go haywire, if you don't come back. You think anyone's gonna listen to that stuck up, arrogant clown we got back there waiting for us? You're the only Colonel we need...you're the only Colonel we want. You've got to come back, now, Rob...just hold on for a little longer." Wilson said. With that, Wilson walked over to Kinch and waited for Newkirk and Carter to say their goodbyes.

"Gov'nor, I'm gonna fix this mess we're in even if it kills me. I'm not gonna let Major Hochstetter lay a single hand on you. All you worry about is getting well and coming back to us. I, Kinch, Andrew, Louis, Joe, Schultzie, Olsen, Baker...we're all gonna make sure no one hurts you. I'll be back soon to bother you some more, Colonel, don't worry. Later, mate." Newkirk spoke. He gave Hogan a salute goodbye, then he rose to his feet and headed over to Kinch and Wilson. Carter was the last one to say goodbye.

"I need you back, Colonel...I miss you so much. Roll call just isn't the same without your wisecracks to Kommandant...nothing's the same without you, sir. Don't worry, I'll be back like the rest of the guys...I miss you, buddy...please come back, Colonel." Carter wept softly. He rubbed Hogan's shoulder gently, then he got to his feet and headed to the rest of his friends. Newkirk wrapped an arm around Carter's shoulders, as he silently wept. The four of them headed out the door, and Kinch closed it.

* * *

When Klink and the prisoners got back and stepped out of the car, the Kommandant gulped and shook in fear, when he saw who was approaching him. Burkhalter and Hochstetter were back, and they did not look happy. Klink immediately shot his arm up and saluted both of them. Wilson had headed towards the infirmary, but Kinch, Newkirk, and Carter stayed close by near the barracks to see what was going on.

"When did Hochstetter get here?" Newkirk asked.

"Must've had a surprise inspection, when we were gone." Kinch answered, trying to think of a logical answer.

"Why's Burkhalter here, then?" Carter asked, looking confused.

"I couldn't tell yah, mate." Newkirk said, as he and Kinch watched shrewdly.

"Klink, I want to see you in your office, now." Hochstetter snarled.

"But, but, but, but, but, but, but...Major Hochstetter...why are you and General Burkhalter here? I thought both of you weren't coming, until tomorrow night." Klink stuttered. His fear had kicked on.

"Klink, you will follow the gestapo's orders and discuss what we have to tell you in private inside your office." Burkhalter ordered.

Klink gulped.

"Yes, General Burkhalter." Klink tremored.

The three Germans headed up the steps of the Kommandantur and walked in, leaving Newkirk, Kinch, and Carter to themselves. Kinch quickly turned to face both of them.

"Come on; let's go get a cup of coffee." Kinch said.

"Got it, Kinch." Newkirk replied.

"Let's go," Carter added, and the three of them ran towards their barracks.

* * *

Klink was sitting at his desk, Burkhalter was sitting in a chair underneath a portrait of Hitler with his arms in his lap, and Hochstetter was pacing like a mad man. His face was red, which Klink knew meant something had upset the gestapo major, and that was something to be afraid of, even for a German.

"What's this all about, Major Hochstetter?" Klink asked, slightly timid.

"Major Hochstetter believes there's a tunnel hidden in this camp." Burkhalter replied.

Klink started laughing.

"Oh, Major Hochstetter; you must be joking. There isn't one single tunnel within this entire camp. After all, no one has ever escaped from…" Burkhalter cut off Klink.

"Klink, if I have to hear your spiel about no escape ever happening in this camp, you will be escaping off to the Russian Front!" Burkhalter snapped.

"Yes, General Burkhalter," Klink quivered and slid in his chair.

"I went into barracks two and heard people talking and a loud thud, when I entered. I suspect the bunk bed in the far left corner in the front is where it's located." Hochstetter sneered.

"Surely, you didn't see anything, Major." Klink said, innocently.

"Klink, I heard something, and I know it's a tunnel!" Hochstetter barked.

"I think we can all settle this by going to inspect the barracks ourselves." Klink said, clapping his hands together.

"No inspection is needed; General Burkhalter here believes me."

"Actually, Major, I want proof of this tunnel. If you can find it, I will give your idea of interrogating Hogan's men consideration." Burkhalter said, standing up.

Hochstetter wailed and shook his fist, then the three Germans left the office and headed towards barracks two.

* * *

"Kinch, he heard the tunnel!" Carter cried.

"I thought you said no one was in the barracks." Kinch said, looking over at LeBeau.

"I needed Olsen to come down and help us with something. Hochstetter must have came in, when we weren't looking." LeBeau said, hanging his head in shame.

"Aw, great; we're all gonna end up in front of a firing squad. Thanks, Louis." Newkirk hissed.

"Everyone, stop fighting. Now, we've concealed the tunnel once, and we can conceal it, again. So let's hurry, before Hochstetter, Klink, and Burkhalter get here." Kinch ordered, firm.

Carter put away the coffee pot, and the other three ran out to the main entrance of the barracks and started working on the fake bunk bed feverishly.

* * *

"I DON'T GET IT! IT WAS RIGHT HERE!" Hochstetter hollered.

Klink and Burkhalter were standing behind Hochstetter, who for the past seven minutes, had been banging the bunk all over trying to find a tunnel he was more than certain was there. Newkirk, Kinch, Carter, and LeBeau were standing over near the stove and the door.

"Lost something, Major?" Newkirk asked, innocently.

"Maybe he's looking for his missing swastika." LeBeau joked, looking at Kinch.

"I could help you, Major. I'm a great scavenger and finder of things, especially if they fall through the cracks. Why boy, this one time my aunt was over visiting and lost her earrings and…" Newkirk cut Carter off.

"Andrew...zip it," Newkirk pleaded.

"Major, it is obvious that what you heard is not in existence." Burkhalter said, unamused.

"But I heard them! That nit wit, Sergeant Carter, is a brilliant chemist!" Hochstetter barked, pointing at Carter.

Klink doubled over laughing.

"Oh, Major Hochstetter; Sergeant Carter, a chemist?" Klink continued laughing hysterically, until he saw the death threat in Hochstetter's eyes. Klink immediately stopped and began to shake with fear. "It's not funny." Klink quickly spoke right after the laughter had ceased.

"What are you guys looking for?" Kinch asked.

"Major Hochstetter believes there's a tunnel inside your barracks." Burkhalter stated.

"Well, we ain't got one of them. Would you like us to dig one, though?" Newkirk asked.

"Newkirk, that'll be enough!" Klink ordered, slightly quivering, as well.

Matthews then walked in after taking a nice evening stroll and saw all the people in the barracks. Puzzled, he turned to face Hogan's men and then stopped at the Germans.

"What's going on here, Kommandant?" Matthews asked, innocently.

"Major Hochstetter believes that there's a hidden tunnel in here somewhere." Klink replied.

"Which has been clearly proven to not exist." Burkhalter added, glaring at Hochstetter.

"What if they're Nazi spies?! They work for the gestapo! That idiot Colonel Hogan of there's is probably their leader!" Matthews exclaimed.

"Why you little," Newkirk threatened. Kinch and LeBeau held on tight to both of Newkirk's arms, holding him back from fighting.

"Enough!" Burkhalter ordered. The big general turned to face Klink and Hochstetter. "Gentlemen, let's continue this discussion elsewhere...perhaps even talk some sense into Major Hochstetter, here."

Hochstetter threw a dirty look at Burkhalter, then the three men walked out of the barracks and back to the Kommandantur's. After they were gone, LeBeau angrily walked right up to Matthews and looked him coldly in the eyes.

"One more word about the Colonel, and I swear I'll," LeBeau was cut off by Kinch.

"LeBeau," He snarled.

LeBeau looked back at Kinch, then at Matthews, again, and gave him one more dirty look before returning with the rest of his friends. They all continued staring harsh at Matthews.

"I can't believe it! You guys are traitors to the Allies! You work for some Nazi hog! Why, I wouldn't be surprised if Hogan wasn't Adolf Hitler himself in disguise!" Matthews spat.

"_That_ did it, get over here!" Newkirk barked. He pulled against Kinch and LeBeau's grasp, but the two men were holding on for dear life.

"Newkirk, calm down! Get it together!" Kinch ordered.

"We're better than he is, mon ami!" LeBeau pleaded.

Newkirk relaxed, and the two men let go of him, but Newkirk gave probably one of the most evil, harsh, demonic looks ever to Matthews. The four of them walked off into Hogan's room to continue talking with each other, leaving Matthews by himself and the rest of the prisoners, who were in the barracks yet. Matthews gave a sinister smile and began thinking to himself. _Don't worry, Major Hochstetter...I'll figure out what these guys are up to in no time for you_, Matthews chuckled to himself.


	10. Chapter 10

Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau stood inside Hogan's room, as they planned their next move to save their operation from being discovered and themselves from a firing squad. All four, though, needed yet to simmer down after what Matthews had said about Hogan.

"Gov'nor's Adolf Hitler in disguise; I'll Adolf Hitler your sorry, no good Yankee behind right into a death camp!" Newkirk hissed, his arms crossed.

"How can he say such horrible things about Colonel?!" Carter cried clenching his fists tight. He was furious and could just not understand how someone could say such foul, ill things about his commanding officer. A commanding officer so humane, kind, humble, well groomed, and respected. Hogan was looked up to by many in camp and in the Underground; he was a role model for everyone.

"I'll slit his throat, so he never speaks, again." LeBeau said, as he mimicked slicing his throat and made a noise imitating it.

"We're not killing anybody...no matter how much we wish to." Kinch said, holding back from snarling. What Matthews had said about Hogan had been enough for him to snap himself and beat the man to death.

"Kinch, now I know how Colonel feels about fighting amongst others, but this guy needs payback, this time." Newkirk cried.

"Oui, mon ami; no one should get away for saying such horrid things about the Colonel." LeBeau sneered.

"I have to agree with them, Kinch. We can't let him slide by for this one. We gotta defend Colonel's honor." Carter added.

"Boy, I wish he were here to see me wipe that smug look of his right off his face." Newkirk snarled.

"You're forgetting Colonel did not, under any circumstances, like fighting." Kinch said, as if he could literally hear his commanding officer speaking to him once again. He sure wished he was there, right now. Hogan would know what to do; about Matthews and saving the operation and all of them from calamity.

"What if we publicly humiliate him?" LeBeau asked, trying to think of an idea. All four of them would never go against Hogan's rules and policies, but this time they all wanted payback, and they were determined to do it in some way that even their commanding officer would have been alright with it.

"That could work, Louis, but what would we do?" Carter asked.

"We would have to dig up some good dirt on that Yank." Newkirk said.

"A fear he might have, perhaps." Kinch suggested, trying to think. Even he wanted revenge for what the American officer had called Hogan.

"All I know, is that his has to be good enough that even we can get Klink, Schultz, the rest of the guards, and even the gestapo guard outside of the front gate to laugh at him." Newkirk said.

The four men continued to sit there and think of what they would plan for their little 'friend' for calling Hogan such foul, ill things. For the moment...they were stuck.

* * *

Another week had passed by, and Klink had assigned one person to clean their assigned barracks. It was LeBeau's turn, today. Newkirk, Kinch, and Carter sat at the table drinking coffee and socializing, while the rest of the men were minding their own business. Matthews was watching LeBeau and giving him a hard time for cleaning.

"Well, looks like Klink knows what good the French are for. He's not as stupid as he appears to be." Matthews chuckled, standing over the little Frenchman. Matthews had taken off his jacket and hung it up on a hook on his bunk from it being a little hot inside.

LeBeau glared quickly at the American and started cursing softly in French, as he continued sweeping the floor.

Everyone was glad, when a prisoner came in and called Matthews out of the barracks.

"Colonel Matthews, Kommandant Klink wants to see you." The prisoner said.

"Well, hot dog; wonder what old Baldy wants." Matthews said, grinning. He put on his crush cap and made his way out of the barracks to go see what Klink wanted from him.

LeBeau continued sweeping the floor, when he accidentally knocked off Mathews jacket, having his wallet fall out, as the jacket fell to the ground. The Frenchman hung up the jacket and grabbed the wallet. Deciding to see what it held within it, he started snooping around, making watch every once and a while to make sure Matthews had not come back in, yet. Newkirk soon noticed what LeBeau was doing and at first did not mind, until about thirty seconds afterwards, when it finally sunk in at what he was doing. He shot up and hurried to LeBeau.

"What do you think you're doing, Louis? You want that Yank to come in here and beat you to a ruddy pulp?" Newkirk exclaimed.

"Well, hello; what do we have here?" LeBeau sneered, grabbing something out of Matthews's wallet. It was a white card of some sort, but Newkirk could not tell what it was.

"Louis, put that back where you found it! How do you think the Gov'nor would react, if he were here and knew you were snooping through other prisoners' privacy?" Newkirk warned.

"How would the Colonel feel to know that we have a Kraut living in the barracks?" LeBeau asked.

"What,"

LeBeau leaned over and showed the Englishman the card. Newkirk, now interested, grabbed hold of the card and read it out loud.

"Gestapo Hammelburg Headquarters; Captain Hans Freitag. Commanding officer Major Wolfgang Hochstetter." Newkirk said, now intrigued with LeBeau's finding.

"What are you two talking about?" Kinch asked, worried his friends were getting themselves into trouble.

LeBeau put the wallet back into Matthews's jacket pocket where it had been, as if it had never fallen off the hook, and followed Newkirk over to where he was handing Kinch the identification card.

"It's a gestapo ID card; Louis found it in our 'friend's' wallet." Newkirk said, giving a slight evil grin.

"Well, this could serve to benefit us." Kinch said, smiling.

"Oh, we've got that Kraut red handed, now." LeBeau said, rubbing his hands together and smiling menacingly.

"I knew something was fishy about him the moment I laid eyes on him." Newkirk said, smug.

"I knew the minute he accused us of working for the Germans." Carter replied.

Kinch stuffed the card in his pockets, LeBeau hurried back to his broom and started sweeping, again, and Newkirk sat back down, as soon as they heard the doorknob clicking. Matthews walked back in and made his way over to his bunk and lay down on it. LeBeau had to move away from Matthews to another part of the barracks. He made his way to the stove, even though he had finished sweeping that area, and acted as if there was dirt still there, anyways.

"Blind, Tiny; looks like it takes twice for you to get something right." Matthews cackled.

"Minuscule; Je vous montrerai petit, lorsque vous êtes placé devant un peloton d'exécution, aimer yah nazi, le colonel Hogan haïr, excuse désolé pour un être humain diable." LeBeau snarled.

Matthews glared at LeBeau, then went back to reading his magazine.

The guys watched Matthews suspiciously for a little longer before turning to their own quiet conversation.

"Do you think Colonel will wake up soon? It's already been a month, since he got hurt." Carter said, worried.

"I don't know, Carter; I wish I could give you an answer." Kinch said, taking a sip of coffee.

"I was sure he would've at least shown some sort of progress by now." Newkirk sighed, sadly.

LeBeau had finished cleaning and sat down besides Newkirk with his own cup of coffee.

"Maybe tonight will be different, when we go see him." LeBeau said, trying to be optimistic.

Carter sighed.

"I wish I could come along." Carter said, sadly. It was his night to stay back and keep an eye on everything.

"I know, Andrew, but who else is going to do the Gov'nor's paperwork?" Newkirk asked.

The excuse they had come up with for why someone had to stay behind while the rest went to visit Hogan was that his paperwork needed to be done, so it would not begin to pile up.

Carter sighed.

"Yeah, I guess." Carter sadly said, looking down at the table.

The rest of the men felt bad for doing this to Carter, but it was necessary. With Hochstetter, Burkhalter, and Klink on their tail, they needed someone back to keep an eye on the operation and other prisoners to make sure nothing bad happened.

Wilson came in with his med bag and walked over towards Kinch, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter.

"Kinch, you wanted to see me?" Wilson asked.

"Yeah, I wanted to see you regarding Colonel Hogan." Kinch said, gesturing to Hogan's room.

The two men walked off into Hogan's room. Kinch turned on a light in his quarters, and Wilson shut the door, so the two could speak freely in private.

"Something wrong with the operation, Kinch?" Wilson asked, softly.

"No...not now, anyways." Kinch answered.

"Then what is it you wanted to see me about?"

"Joe, I want you to stay here with Carter, while Louis, Peter, and I go visit Colonel at the hospital, tonight. We just found out that Matthews is a gestapo agent in disguise as a prisoner sent here by Hochstetter. My guess is that he's here to find proof of our operation going on in Stalag 13."

"You gotta be kidding me."

Kinch grabbed out the ID card and showed Wilson.

"Incredible...but why does Sergeant Carter have to stay behind?" Wilson asked.

"One of us has to stay here to maintain safety with everything going on. If two are here keeping eye on things, the better." Kinch said.

"Well, Olsen and I can do that for you, so Carter can go." Wilson said.

"Joe, you don't need to do that. You have enough on your plate already being camp medic."

"Kinch, I'm doing this as a friend. You four need to be with Colonel Hogan, now. He needs all of you there with him."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Kinch smiled and nodded.

"You're a good man, Joe."

Wilson nodded.

"Don't worry; Olsen and I will make sure that Kraut stays in his place. We'll send Schultz on him, if he starts getting out of line." Wilson answered.

Kinch nodded and the two of them walked back out after turning off Hogan's light. Matthews had gone out of the barracks, when the two of them got back out into the main area.

"Carter, Wilson is gonna stay behind and do the paperwork. You still wanna come along tonight?" Kinch asked, smiling. He was still making caution, just in case Matthews was near by somewhere.

"Boy, do I ever!" Carter cheered.

Kinch continued smiling and sat down at the table with the three of his friends, as Wilson and Olsen sat down on a bunk and began going over what they would do for tonight.

"Boy, I can't wait to see the Colonel." LeBeau said, squirming.

"Why; can't wait to tell him about Barbara?" Newkirk asked, a little annoyed.

"She's the light of the moon, Pierre! I tell you I've never met such a magnificent girl in all my life." LeBeau said, swooning over the Underground agent.

"She's Hochstetter's niece; you want your future uncle in law to be him?" Kinch asked.

"We can over look Hochstetter with how strong our love is." LeBeau replied, smug.

"Blimey, Louis; if exposing the operation doesn't kill yah, it'll be Major Hochstetter for finding out you're madly in love with his niece." Newkirk grumbled.

* * *

Evening came by soon enough, and Kinch, Carter, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Klink had all left camp to go to the hospital. As the four men visited with their commanding officer, Klink and Dr. Klaussner were discussing what to do further regarding Hogan's condition.

Carter, Newkirk, Kinch, and LeBeau entered into Hogan's room and smiled seeing their commanding officer, again. LeBeau, carrying flowers, put them into Hogan's vase sitting on his nightstand, then stood behind the chair that Carter was sitting in. Newkirk sat besides Hogan's legs holding his left hand, and Kinch stood behind him.

"Hi, Gov'nor...it's us, again." Newkirk said, softly.

"I'm here, too, Colonel." Carter said, smiling.

"So am I, Colonel." Kinch added.

"Don't forget me." LeBeau chimed in.

"Don't worry; Wilson and Olsen are back at camp making sure everything's alright with the gestapo and Matthews." Kinch said. Just saying Matthews's name was enough to make the four of them taste bile in their throats.

"I know you hate violence, sir, but I wish for once you would put that rule aside and let me sock him one in the mouth. He ever calls you 'Adolf Hitler' again, I promise yah that rule won't be followed." Newkirk said, snarling towards Matthews.

"I'm glad you weren't there, Colonel. We all were pretty angry that night. I was tempted to poison his food the next morning...I didn't, though." LeBeau said.

"I don't know how one can talk so ill of you, sir; it just doesn't make sense to me." Carter told Hogan.

"I'm gonna go see and find out if anything changed with Colonel." Kinch said, heading towards the door.

"See yah later, mate." Newkirk said, waving bye.

Kinch headed into the hallways and closed the door.

* * *

"Take him off life support?!" Klink asked, in shock.

Dr. Klaussner nodded sadly.

"Dr. Klaussner, surely you don't mean that." Klink gasped.

"I wish I didn't mean it, Kommandant. Colonel Hogan's condition has not changed for a little over a month, now. His lungs are weak, and he does not respond to any treatment that we've given him so far. I've called some of the best doctors in Berlin to see if we could transfer him there for better treatment, and even they do not know if they can do anything more for Colonel Hogan. His body will eventually shut down and cease to work anymore the longer he stays in his coma." Dr. Klaussner sadly spoke.

Kinch was walking towards Dr. Klaussner, when he started hearing he and Klink discussing Hogan. He decided to lean against the wall out of sight and listen in on what they were discussing.

"There must be some method of treatment or medicine you have yet to try still, Doctor." Klink said, hoping there was one, at least.

Dr. Klaussner shook his head.

"I have done everything possible for Colonel Hogan; injections, operations, antibiotics, intravenous fluids, blood transfusions, they all respond the same way. He's suffering, Kommandant; do you think Colonel Hogan would want to spend the rest of his life like this?"

Klink was silent. He knew how lively Hogan was. He was energetic, always moving around, social, outgoing...he was anything from what he was now. He knew his Senior POW Officer would hate to live the rest of his life the way he was now, but killing him...it was unimaginable.

The old Kommandant gulped and finally gave his answer.

"I'll give it some consideration, Doctor." Klink quivered.

Kinch gaped and hurried back to Hogan's room. He entered in and rushed to his friends, who were socializing with their sleeping colonel.

"They wanna take Colonel off life support." Kinch gasped, out of breath from running.

"What?!" LeBeau, Newkirk, and Carter all exclaimed.

"I overheard Dr. Klaussner and Kommandant discussing it. Both he and Kommandant are considering ending Colonel's life." Kinch explained.

"No! Colonel, no!" Carter wailed. He wrapped his arms around Hogan's body and started sobbing into his chest. Losing his commanding officer and best friend was too much for him to handle.

"Come on, Gov'nor; show them their wrong, sir. Do something...anything, Gov'nor!" Newkirk pleaded, holding Hogan's hand tighter.

No response.

Newkirk sighed.

LeBeau was chewing his fingers from anxiety shaking his body, and Kinch was hanging his head. The four of them felt like as if they had failed their commanding officer. Hogan had always been there to protect and save them from any type of harm. Now the tables had turned, and they could not even do the same for him.

"Please, Gov'nor...open your eyes, Colonel...we need you...we miss you...we want you to come back to us, Gov'nor...please, just open your eyes, Gov'nor." Newkirk begged, fighting back tears. He closed his eyes and hung his head in shame. He felt it was all his fault. The Englishman felt it was his fault for Hogan's life now on the line. "I'm...so sorry, Gov'nor…" He choked, still closing his eyes.

None of them were aware of what happened next. The hand Newkirk was holding, it slowly wiggled its fingers and gently closed its grasp on Newkirk's hand squeezing it gently. Newkirk opened his eyes and gasped.

"Colonel...Gov'nor, can you hear me?!" Newkirk pleaded, hoping it was not just his imagination.

Hogan's hand slowly again squeezed Newkirk's hand gently, as if he were trying to tell him that everything was going to be okay.

"Louis, get Dr. Klaussner, quick!" Newkirk cried.

Carter was sitting back normal, again. He, LeBeau, and Kinch all looked at Newkirk with concern.

"Why, what's wrong, buddy?" Carter asked, worried.

"Colonel...he squeezed my hand...he can hear us, Louis!" Newkirk cheered.

LeBeau grew a huge smile and ran towards the door.

"That a way, Colonel; I knew you could do it, sir." Kinch said, beaming.

"Come on, Colonel! You got it, boy!" Carter cheered.

"Come back to us, sir...you got it now, Gov'nor...come back to us, now." Newkirk encouraged.

"Dr. Klaussner! Dr. Klaussner, Kommandant, hurry!" LeBeau cried.

Dr. Klaussner and Klink were soon enough in Hogan's room.

"What is it; what's wrong?" Dr. Klaussner asked, worried.

"Colonel, Doctor; he squeezed my hand." Newkirk said, smiling.

Dr. Klaussner hurried to Hogan's left side and gently took his hand away from Newkirk's.

"Robert, it's Dr. Klaussner...I'm caring for you...your men are here with you, and so is your Kommandant...can you hear us, Robert?" Dr. Klaussner asked.

Nothing happened for about thirty seconds, before Hogan's hand closed on Dr. Klaussner's and squeezed it tight.

"Do something, if you can hear me, Robert." Dr. Klaussner begged.

Klink was standing near the door shaking. He was praying to God that Hogan was coming around, now.

After thirty seconds of nothing, Hogan's hand on his belly starting wiggling its fingers a little bit. They gently tapped Hogan's belly then relaxed, again.

Dr. Klaussner handed Hogan's hand back to Newkirk, again.

"Robert, squeeze Newkirk's hand, if you can hear me." Dr. Klaussner ordered.

Hogan's hand, again, slowly closed and squeezed Newkirk's hand gently.

"He squeezed it, sir." Newkirk said.

"What's it mean, Dr. Klaussner? Is it good, is it bad, what?" Klink pleaded.

Dr. Klaussner slowly rose to his feet and looked all of Hogan's men straight in the eye. The four men stared at Dr. Klaussner for what felt like forever to them. The silence and the straight face the old doctor kept was killing them.

"Blimey, say something, Dr. Klaussner!" Newkirk begged.

Dr. Klaussner suddenly grew a small smile on his face.

"It's a good sign that Colonel Hogan's regaining consciousness." Dr. Klaussner said.

"So, does it mean he's gonna make it?" LeBeau asked, hoping for a positive answer.

"He's not in the clear yet, but his chances of recovering are higher, now."

The four men looked to one another smiling and cheered.

Klink sighed with relief and put a hand on his chest.

Dr. Klaussner and Klink headed out into the hallways to let Hogan's men finish their visit with their commanding officer.

"Colonel, I knew you could do it! I knew it the whole time!" LeBeau said, smiling proudly.

"You got it, Colonel; the rest of the way, now." Kinch said, smiling, too.

"Gov'nor, you just open your eyes, now. You got a few pretty nurses taken care of yah I bet you're just dying to see." Newkirk said, grinning.

"Oh, you can tell him about pretty nurses, but I can't tell him about Barbara?" LeBeau asked, smug.

Kinch smirked and patted LeBeau's shoulder gently.

"Come back to us, Colonel. I know you can do it, buddy! Come home, Colonel." Carter said, smiling.

"You got it, Gov'nor...I know you've got it." Newkirk said, smiling. For the first time in over a month, Newkirk did not feel a single ounce of guilt inside him. Instead, he felt hope.


	11. Chapter 11

A couple days went by, and Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau had newfound hope that the operation would be saved. Hogan squeezing Newkirk's hand had given them a reason to keep fighting and hoping for a good turnout to their current difficult situation.

The four men were in Hogan's quarters trying to think of a way to expose Matthews's hidden identity to Klink and get rid of him, so a plan for saving the operation could be put into play. Kinch paced back and forth like Hogan always did, Carter sat in Hogan's chair, LeBeau stood by the window, and Newkirk sat on Hogan's bottom bunk.

"Why don't we just say we found the ID card lying around and give it to Klink?" Carter asked.

"Too obvious; Kommandant would suspect something with everything going on, right now." Kinch said, pacing still.

"Not only that, but how would you explain it to Burkhalter and Hochstetter?" Newkirk asked, trying to think of an idea.

"We need something else...something simple, but not too suspicious." Kinch said, trying to think. Thousands of ideas were rendering in his mind, but he could not think of just one to use.

"What if one of us dresses up as a gestapo officer and request Matthews's return to headquarters?" LeBeau asked.

"It's a good idea, Louis, but what if Kommandant calls Burkhalter and Hochstetter to come out here? They would recognize us the moment they saw us." Newkirk said, as he tapped his fingertips on his leg thinking.

"Klink will call Burkhalter and Hochstetter regardless with everything going on here, right now. We need a plan that not even _those _two can foil." Kinch said, continuing to pace the small room.

"But what, is the question." Newkirk sighed.

The four men continued thinking, when a knock at the door took them out of their thoughts. Kinch walked over and opened the door to let Olsen in.

"Message from the Underground, Kinch." Olsen said, handing the second in command the folded piece of paper. Kinch unfolded it and read through it thoroughly before handing it back to Olsen.

"Tell them Newkirk and I will go out tonight after roll call." Kinch said.

"Got it, Kinch." Olsen answered, and he left closing the door behind him.

"Send us out _where_, mate?" Newkirk asked, suspicious.

"The Underground says it's getting too dangerous where they have Colonel Winters hiding out. He's coming with Barbara and Vulture tonight to have him hide out in our tunnels, until we can find a way to get him out of Germany." Kinch answered.

"And if a gestapo Kraut gets a hold of us, what do we do then?" Newkirk asked, slightly irritated.

"I don't know, _mon ami_. It's too dangerous with all those filthy bosche out there." LeBeau said, a little worried.

"We have to go through with this mission and do it successfully, or it's game over for _all _of us...and I'm sure _all _of us wanna save Colonel, so he can wake up and come back to us." Kinch ordered.

Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter all exchanged looks with one another and sighed, nodding softly. They all wanted that, and they all knew it well, too. The last thing they wanted was for the operation to be exposed, and Hochstetter to kill Hogan, when they now knew there was a chance of him coming back to them, again. No, they were going to go through with it. They owed their commanding officer more than that after all the times he had stuck up for them, protected them, and risked his life for them each and everyday of the war.

"Yes, Kinch." Newkirk said, softly.

"I'm willing to do it for Colonel." Carter softly spoke twiddling his thumbs.

"Me too, _mon ami_." LeBeau added.

"When do we leave, Kinch?" Newkirk asked.

"After roll call, we'll leave at 2200 hours." Kinch answered.

"What do we do about Matthews, though?" Carter asked.

"Matthews...or _Freitag_, as we should call him, always has an hour walk around camp at night. We'll be back before he comes back to the barracks." Kinch said.

Newkirk nodded.

"Our blacks are ready, when we need 'em, mate." Newkirk said, with a nod.

"Good," Kinch replied.

"But how do we get him out of Germany?" Carter asked.

"For now, we don't; not until we figure out how to get rid of Freitag." Kinch said.

"That could take _weeks_, though, _mon ami_." LeBeau cried.

"Come on, guys; would we all do this, if it were the Colonel giving us these orders?" Kinch asked.

Again, the three men sighed and nodded.

"Yes, Kinch." Carter sadly answered.

"_Oui, _Kinch." LeBeau said.

"Count me in too, mate." Newkirk sighed.

"I sure miss Colonel." Carter said, sadly.

"We all miss him, Andrew; but Colonel's not here, right now, so we gotta muddle along as best as we can without him." Newkirk sadly said, with a hint of irritation.

LeBeau snapped his fingers and smiled.

"That's _it_, Pierre!" LeBeau cried.

"What's it?" Newkirk asked, confused.

"When we all start to doubt ourselves and feel as if we can't accomplish anything, to motivate us, we'll think of how proud the Colonel will be, when he comes back to us!" LeBeau answered.

"Hey, Louis, I like that idea!" Carter said, smiling.

"Beautiful, mate." Newkirk added.

"Alright; now that were motivated, let's get back to work." Kinch said, smiling boldly.

"Where will Colonel Winters sleep?" LeBeau asked.

"In one of the guest tunnels, as usual." Newkirk said.

"Don't you think a colonel deserves something a bit better than a guest tunnel?" LeBeau remarked, crossing his arms.

"What about that big room we hardly ever use? We could move one of the beds in there; give the guy more privacy." Carter suggested.

"Alright; that settles sleeping arrangements." Kinch said.

"Do you think the Gov'nor knew this guy?" Newkirk asked.

"We'll have to ask him, when he gets here, tonight." Kinch simply replied.

"Well, we gotta lot of planning to do before tonight, so let's get right down to it." Newkirk said.

The four men walked out of Hogan's room, shut the door, and started making preparations for that evening.

* * *

Night had fallen, and Newkirk and Kinch were standing silently behind shrubbery in the forest, as they waited for Barbara and Vulture to bring Colonel Winters. Kinch kept looking down at his watch growing anxious as time passed by. As Kinch was about to turn and tell Newkirk they were going home, they got the signal they needed: a flashlight turning on and off twice. Newkirk replied with two flashes and one long shine. Both he and Kinch came into the clearing and met with Barbara and Vulture, who had spiky red hair and dark blue eyes.

"Vulture, good to see you, again." Kinch said, shaking hands with his friend.

"As to you, Kinch. Newkirk." Vulture greeted.

"G' evening, mate." Newkirk replied, smiling.

Kinch looked at Barbara and smirked.

"So, _this _is the girl Louis's crazy over." Kinch chuckled.

"Blimey, don't get _that _started, again." Newkirk moaned.

Barbara giggled.

"Let me guess; you and the little Frenchman aren't gestapo, are you." Barbara said, smiling.

"Far from it," Newkirk replied.

"And Major Hochstetter's your uncle, huh?" Kinch asked, crossing his arms.

Barbara sadly sighed.

"I love my uncle dearly, but I hate what he's doing to Germany."

"You should see what he does to us." Newkirk mumbled.

Barbara could not help but giggle, again.

"Turns red, starts screaming at everyone, and invades your personal space?" Barbara asked, as if she had been there with him and all his friends the many times Hochstetter had come to Stalag 13.

"General Burkhalter's not any better, but he's another story." Newkirk answered.

"So, where's this famous 'Colonel Winters'?" Kinch asked, smiling.

Barbara turned around and gestured for someone to come out in the clearing. A man, about Hogan's age, came out into the opening. He had Hogan's exact uniform on, had green eyes, dark brown hair, facial fuzz, and a bit taller and slightly thinner than Hogan. The man walked over and shook hands with Kinch and Newkirk.

"Colonel Winters, an honor to meet you. I'm Sergeant Kinchloe. This is Corporal Peter Newkirk." Kinch said, gesturing to Newkirk.

"How are yah, mate?" Newkirk asked, friendly.

Colonel Winters smiled.

"Doing just fine, and don't feel hesitant to call me 'Jerry'. You guys are saving my life, after all." Jerry said, smiling.

Kinch and Newkirk smiled.

"Don't feel hesitant to call me 'Kinch' then, either." Kinch chuckled.

Jerry chuckled back and nodded.

"Well, we better get going; we got a bug problem back at camp we have to take care of." Kinch said.

"Oh no; termites?" Vulture asked, concerned for his friends.

"Worse; an undercover gestapo officer who's got more arrogance than old Bubblehead up in Berchtesgaden." Newkirk answered back.

"Oh, and tell the Frenchman I say 'hello'." Barbara said, smiling.

"If he behaves himself." Newkirk replied back.

The three men waved back to Barbara and Vulture, then they disappeared into the night.

* * *

Kinch and Newkirk had made it safely back to camp and were talking with Jerry at the radio table with cups of coffee, when Carter and LeBeau came down the ladder to see how it went.

"Everything go alright?" LeBeau asked.

"Just fine." Kinch said, smiling. He and Newkirk had changed back into their Allied uniforms and cleaned their faces of the black smudges on their cheeks.

"Andrew, Louis, meet Colonel Jerry Winters of the United States Army Air Corps." Newkirk said, gesturing to their guest of honor.

"Boy, it's sure an honor to meet you, sir. I've heard a lot good things about you." Carter said, a little shy. Sure, Hogan was a colonel, but this guy was like a celebrity in the USA armed forces currently. He was probably even Hogan's role model, he thought.

"Welcome to Stalag 13; our 'home sweet home', as you Americans may call it." LeBeau said, holding out his hand.

Jerry smiled and shook the little Frenchman's hand grateful.

"I appreciate the warm welcome. Papa Bear must have taught you well." Jerry said, smiling.

"Boy, did he ever!" Carter said, proud of Hogan.

"Will I get a chance to meet the famous Papa Bear I've been told about?" Jerry asked.

The four grew silent briefly, before Kinch answered.

"More than unlikely, Jerry."

"Why is that?" Jerry asked.

Newkirk sighed before speaking. In case this man did know Hogan, he wanted to tell him easily of what was going on.

"Jerry...do you know a 'Colonel Hogan'?" Newkirk asked.

"Colonel Hogan..._Robert _Hogan?" Jerry replied, in shock.

"You know him?" LeBeau gasped.

"We were best friends in college. I wouldn't even be a colonel, had it not been for him! _He's _Papa Bear?!" Jerry cried.

"He sure is, Jerry." Kinch said, with a sad smile.

"Boy, Robert; you just keep on amazing me! Wow, I gotta see him! It's been _far _too long!" Jerry said, excited.

"I wish you could see him, _mon ami_." LeBeau sadly said.

Jerry's excitement grew into sudden worry and fear.

"What's wrong...is he alright?" Jerry asked, fearful.

Newkirk sighed, again.

"Sort of, Colonel...you see, the Gov'nor was out with us on a mission about a little over a month ago. We were to explode and demolish a ball bearing plant. Everything went well, but Colonel forgot his hat back at the explosion site and went back to get it, before the bombs went off…" Newkirk gulped and continued. It still pained him deeply remembering that night. "He hit his head pretty bad and got a nasty cut from the shrapnel in the belly...he also inhaled a lot of smoke." Newkirk said, starting to choke up. He could not go any further, or his guilt would start eating him alive, again.

"Colonel's in a coma and fighting a bad case of bacterial pneumonia along with it. He was still recovering from viral pneumonia, when the mission happened, so his bacterial pneumonia is about five times worse than what it usually is." Kinch finished, trying to ease the shock for Jerry.

Jerry shook and slightly slid back in his chair. He shook his head, trying to comprehend what was going through his mind.

"Oh...Robert...what did you get yourself into?" Jerry gasped.

"I'm sorry, Jerry." Kinch said, sadly.

Jerry nodded, closed his eyes, and let out a deep breath. He then opened his eyes again and looked at Kinch.

"It's alright...just...when I get back to London, radio General Berkman and tell me what happens regarding him...he'll be in every thought and prayer of mine until then." Jerry said, sadly.

"Of course," Kinch replied.

"Well, we better get going. We wanna get back before Matthews does." Newkirk said.

"The gestapo agent?" Jerry asked, as if he already knew the answer.

"You catch on fast, _mon ami_." LeBeau said, slightly disgusted with the thought of Matthews in his mind.

Jerry chuckled softly and said his goodnights to the men, then he headed off towards his room to sleep in for the meanwhile.

* * *

The four men had started a game of gin with each other. Olsen was up in his bunk watching them play. Their peace and quiet ended, when Matthews came in with Schultz behind him.

"And that is the last time you go out of the barracks after curfew!" Schultz ordered.

"What's the matter, Schultzie; don't like our new pet?" Newkirk asked, smiling sly.

"Jolly joker; who let this man out of the barracks?" Schultz demanded, not sounding threatening at all.

"Would you believe us, if we said 'we all did'?" Carter asked, innocently.

"This man will follow the same orders as all of _you_! I will have to report this to the Kommandant, and _he _will not be very happy." Schultz said.

"Schultzie, wait," Newkirk said, getting to his feet. He walked over to Schultz and started working his magic. "You wanna know why we _really _let him out?"

"Ah, I hear nothing; _nooooooothhhhing_!" Schultz cried, then he turned on his boot and marched out of the barracks, closing the door behind him.

Matthews snorted and glared at where the big sergeant had once been.

"Imbecile," Matthews muttered, aggravated with the fact he did not get to finish his nightly stroll.

"What's the matter, Matthews? Sad you got thrown into the _le chenil_?" LeBeau teased.

Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and Olsen had to fight back from smirking or bursting out into laughter. It did not matter, as Matthews gave all of them an evil glare.

"I don't find your humor amusing, pip squeak." Matthews snarled.

"I don't find your _face _that appealing, either." Newkirk retorted over his shoulder.

Kinch, LeBeau, Carter, and Olsen started smirking. Keeping their laughter back was becoming harder to control.

Matthews continued glaring at the men, then he stomped off to his bunk to sleep for the night. After he left, the five men began snickering softly, finding their encounter with the undercover gestapo officer a treat worth waiting for.


	12. Chapter 12

A couple days went by, and Kinch, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter all went to the hospital with Klink to visit with Hogan, who seemed to be making progress little by little each day. His hand started squeezing Newkirk's hand more frequently and the gang was told by Klink the day before that Dr. Klaussner had reported Hogan had started fidgeting his toes a little bit.

Newkirk sat by Hogan's legs, as usual, Carter sat in the chair beside Hogan's bedside, LeBeau stood in front of Newkirk, and Kinch stood behind Carter. They were all smiling at their commanding officer, knowing he could hear them and was more than likely starting to fight to come back to them, now. They told them about the plot to get rid of Matthews, so they could save the operation from destruction. They also told them the new information they had learned regarding who Matthews really was.

"Hans Freitag, a gestapo officer. Can you believe it, Colonel?! We got a ruddy Kraut stinking up the barracks." Newkirk exclaimed.

"The barracks; try the entire camp." LeBeau said, correcting his friend.

"Boy, does he sure no how to hide an identity. I didn't believe it at first, Colonel." Carter said.

"Don't worry, Colonel; we'll think of a way to get rid of him, I promise." Kinch softly said smiling.

"I know one way of doing of doing it." LeBeau said, imitating slicing his neck with a knife.

"We're not killing him, Louis." Kinch warned.

"t's not a bad idea, though." Newkirk mumbled to himself.

Hogan's hand squeezed Newkirk's hand hard, as if he were trying to give him a warning of going in that direction of thinking.

"Blimey, Gov'nor...alright, alright, we won't do it!" Newkirk cried, his hand hurting a little.

All four of them could not help but laugh. It was good to see that their colonel was still the same man he was before getting hurt.

"That a boy, Colonel. You got it, sir. Just open your eyes and come back to us, now." Kinch said, beaming.

"Come on, Colonel; open those beautiful eyes of your's. I'll make your favorite dessert, if you open 'em." LeBeau said, imagining his delicious, moist chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.

"You can't bribe him to come out of a coma, Louis." Newkirk replied, somewhat surprised LeBeau did such a thing.

"With my food; the Colonel will be opening his eyes any second now begging for a piece of cake." LeBeau said, fantasizing his work of art.

"Louis...you don't even have any cake here with us." Carter pointed out, as he wiggled his fingers, which were laced together.

"Ssshhhhhhh; don't let him know that!" LeBeau shot back, in a whisper.

Newkirk felt Hogan's hand softly squeeze his, again, as if he were trying to tell him something.

"I'll make 'em stop, Gov'nor, I promise." Newkirk said, kindly.

There was then a knock on the door. The door opened, and Dr. Klaussner walked in with a grim look on his face.

"I would allow you four to stay longer, but your Kommandant insists on returning to camp." Dr. Klaussner reported.

"Aw, really?!" LeBeau whined.

"But I didn't get to tell Colonel all about my win in gin against Newkirk, yet." Carter added.

"No one needs to know that, Andrew." Newkirk warned looking disgruntled.

Kinch sighed, then turned to Dr. Klaussner.

"Alright, Richard; give us five minutes to say 'goodbye'." Kinch said, softly.

"I'll do what I can, Kinch. You know how your Kommandant can be." Dr. Klaussner replied.

Kinch smirked.

"You're forgetting we know how to work around his rules, Doctor."

Dr. Klaussner chuckled then left the room, so the guys could say their goodbyes to Hogan. LeBeau went first. He turned to face Hogan and smiled at him.

"Get well soon, Colonel. I promise you that piece of cake, when you wake up, again." LeBeau said, winking. He then trotted off to the door and waited for the rest of his friends.

"We'll be back on Friday, Colonel. Until then, we'll be thinking about you and hopefully be planning out how to get rid of Matthews for good." Kinch said, smiling. He then walked over to LeBeau and waited for Carter and Newkirk to say their farewells.

"I'll make sure they stay out of trouble, Gov'nor. And don't worry; I won't murder Matthews...unless Kinch here gives me permission to, which is highly unlikely. See you real soon, Gov'nor." Newkirk said, gently squeezing Hogan's shoulder. He rose from his spot and made his way to the two by the door. Carter was the last to say 'goodbye'.

"I miss you, buddy. I hope you wake up really soon. I miss hearing your voice and your occasional telling me to 'shut up'. It's just not the same without you. Camp life gets boring real fast, and by golly you would've gotten rid of Matthews and had saved the operation, had you still be here with us. I wish I had a mind like your's. Do you know how many explosives I could…" Carter was cut off by Newkirk.

"Andrew, _I'm_ gonna tell you to 'shut up', if you don't wrap it up, quick." Newkirk warned, irritated. He knew the longer he and the rest of them kept Klink waiting, the longer he would make them stand outside during evening roll call.

Carter looked at Newkirk, then sighed and turned back to face Hogan.

"Feel better really soon, Colonel...I miss you." Carter said, softly. He gently patted Hogan's shoulder, like he always did, when knowing one of his men, particularly Carter, were sad about something. He got to his feet and walked over to his friends. The four of them looked at Hogan one final time, all of them giving a small smile, then they left for Stalag 13.

* * *

Matthews was alone in the barracks pacing back and forth. He was trying to find a way to figure out which hospital Hogan was in. If he knew where, the sooner he could act on his plan to permanently get rid of the American that was currently interfering with his mission to exploit Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, LeBeau, Olsen, and the rest of the men in on the secret operation that Hochstetter continued to suspect be happening in Stalag 13. He was taken out of his thoughts, when he heard the door open and saw Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau enter into the barracks, back from their visit with Hogan.

At first, Matthews was irritated that the men were back, but then thought maybe they could be used to his advantage in order to figure out where Hogan was. He gave as friendly of a smile as he could and made his way to the four, who had sat down at the table with cups of coffee.

"Hey guys; how's it going?" Matthews asked, smiling.

The four of them glared at Matthews uninterested with him.

"Why does it matter to you, Matthews?" Newkirk asked smugly. He then took a sip of coffee.

"I thought you didn't like us, sir." Carter said, slightly confused at what was going on around here.

"Not like you guys! Oh, of course not! I'm just a little introverted when confronted with new people and can seem a bit unbearable." Matthews said, grinning.

"A bit unbearable only begins what we think." LeBeau mumbled, slightly confused and irritated.

Matthews fought his urge to strangle all of them and continued with his task.

"How was Colonel Hogan doing, today?" Matthews asked, sounding concerned.

"Why does it matter to you how Colonel Hogan was doing?" Kinch asked, growing suspicious of Matthews.

"Oh, I just was thinking about going to see him and tell him to get feeling better real soon. Can't wait to learn from such a respected and looked up man." Matthews replied.

"Boy, oh would Colonel love that! You can ask Klink to go see him. He knows the address to the hospital." Carter said, smiling.

"Andrew," Newkirk warned, glaring at him.

Carter looked at his three friends, who were all glaring at him. The young sergeant slid a slight bit to make himself seem smaller.

"What did I do?" Carter innocently asked.

"Nothing, Carter; nothing at all." Matthews said, growing an evil grin on his face.

Newkirk rose from his seat and looked Matthews directly in the eye.

"I don't know what you plan on doing to Colonel Hogan, but I can promise you that you'll never get a chance to try it." Newkirk warned, harshly.

"You try harming the Colonel, and you'll find some poison tomorrow morning in your breakfast." LeBeau snarled.

Matthews glared at the Frenchmen, then at all of them in general.

"I'll be outside going for a walk, if anyone needs me." Matthews sneered. He stomped off to the door, opened it, and slammed it behind him.

"The only thing I need you to do is to fall down a deep dark well, where no one can hear your screams of agony." Newkirk growled.

"André, what are you thinking?!" LeBeau exclaimed.

"Golly, I'm sorry, guys. I didn't think he was being rude. He just wanted to go tell Colonel to get feeling well, soon." Carter moaned.

"Andrew, you're forgetting that this man is a gestapo officer. If he finds out where the Gov'nor is, he'll more than likely go to the hospital and try to hurt him or worse." Newkirk said, more friendly.

Carter nodded, feeling bad for not catching onto that.

Kinch snapped his fingers suddenly and smiled boldly. He had been ignoring his friends and thinking the entire time.

"I got it!" Kinch cried, with glee.

"What, Kinch," Newkirk asked.

"I know how to get rid of Matthews." Kinch said, in love with his idea.

"What, mon ami?" LeBeau asked, curious to know.

"It sounds like a good one, buddy!" Carter added, interested in knowing what the plan was.

"Matthews always walks around camp in the late afternoon and late at night, right?" Kinch began.

"Yes," All men said.

"Alright, so here's the deal." Kinch said, beginning to tell his friends his plan.

* * *

Matthews was about to head off into his usual direction to start his walk around camp, when he looked over and saw the Kommandantur's. He looked around to make sure none of the other prisoners were watching him. After seeing the coast was clear, he smiled menacingly and made his way towards Klink's office. He walked in and saw Hilda working at her desk quietly. He smiled, but was not anywhere near 'friendly'. He found the blonde attractive and made his way over to see if she could help him in any way with accomplishing his task.

"Good afternoon, ma'am." Matthews said, smiling.

Hilda looked up at him quickly, found him uninteresting, and went back to typing.

"Hello, Colonel Matthews." Hilda said, focusing on her typing.

"How are you doing, today?"

"I'm fine."

"Is the Kommandant busy?"

Hilda sighed softly. She did not like this man and had no idea why, but that's how she felt. She was slightly irritated with his presence and did not find him anywhere close to how Hogan treated her. He was nice, kind, always polite and gentle with her. She felt this was more forced to have her guard be let down, but she was determined to give this man nothing more than professional attention.

"He's in; just knock on his door and wait for his permission." Hilda simply answered.

"Thank you, beautiful." Matthews said, grinning. Hilda could see something not right within his smile, but managed to not give him attention for that long. The young man leaned over and kissed Hilda on the cheek, then opened the door and walked into Klink's office.

Hilda looked up from work in the direction Matthews had gone. She glared coldly at where Matthews had gone, then wiped her cheek where Matthews kissed her, as if it made her sick to have it there. She then thought of Hogan and how he treated her, making her smile and able to go back to focusing on her work.

* * *

Matthews walked into Klink's office finding the old Kommandant working on signing papers. Matthews smirked, knowing this would be too easy, then grew serious, when Klink looked up at Matthews and glared at him.

"Colonel Matthews, what is this?! Why didn't you knock first; can't you see I'm busy?!" Klink exclaimed, aggravated with the sudden disturbance of privacy.

"I'm sorry, Kommandant, but I just gotta know how Colonel Hogan's doing." Matthews said, as if he felt terrible knowing the man was currently fighting for his life.

Klink eyed him suspicious of something going on. He had his doubts regarding this man, but decided to humor him.

"Why do you wish to know how Colonel Hogan's medical condition is doing?" Klink asked, not afraid to show his suspicions.

"I can understand why you would feel unsure with me asking such a thing, Kommandant, but the truth is I look up to Colonel Hogan. The prisoners here seem to really like and respect him greatly." Matthews started.

Klink continued looking at him carefully, but softly nodded.

"They do respect him, indeed." Klink replied.

"Well, Kommandant; I just wanted a chance to get to visit him and tell him myself. Maybe an aspiring colonel to learn the ways of the great Colonel Hogan would get him to wake up faster." Matthews continued.

Klink nodded, but was not quite sold yet on the idea.

"And what if I were to say 'no'?"

"Kommandant, why I've heard the best of the Kommandants in all of the Stalags! You're humane and humble and quite a ladies' man, too." Matthews said, playing his cards carefully.

Klink sat up proud and tall then looked at Matthews affectionately.

"You think so, Colonel Matthews." Klink said, pleased with what he was hearing.

"Oh, absolutely, Kommandant. Why, I don't know why you haven't been promoted to general yet! Oh, yes sir; what a great day that would be." Matthews said, knowing now he had Klink.

Klink stood up and slammed his fist on his desk.

"I couldn't agree with you more, Matthews! We'll leave after evening roll call!" Klink remarked.

"Thank you, Kommandant." Matthews replied, innocently. He headed towards the door, saluted Klink sloppy, then walked out of the Kommandantur's and down the steps into the compound. He started smiling wickedly and chuckled softly and maliciously. "And the trap snaps shut."

* * *

Evening came soon enough, and Klink and Matthews had made their way to the hospital. Klink sat down in the waiting room on the 6th floor, and Dr. Klaussner escorted the young American down the halls to Hogan's room, after Klink had given several threats regarding escaping attempts on the elevator ride up. Dr. Klaussner opened the door, let Matthews walk in silently, then closed the door leaving the man to himself with Hogan.

Making sure the coast was clear, he turned to face the unconscious man laying in the bed. Hogan's position and appearance had not changed since his four men/friends had come to visit him earlier that same day. He was aware of Hogan beginning to come back to consciousness, and his hanging around would not help Matthews's case. The undercover gestapo agent sat down in the chair beside Hogan's bed and glared at him coldly. He never felt so much hatred to someone in his entire life.

"So...you're the one those idiots look up to so much...personally, I don't see what they see in you, Colonel...you're nothing more than another American swine walking around Germany...and I will not stand to have you hanging around any longer." Matthews hissed.

He dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out a syringe filled with Zyklon B, a substance used in extermination camps, and rose to his feet. Although Hochstetter would be furious, if he found out the young captain had killed Hogan, Matthews knew it was necessary to carry out his assignment. In fact, he had argued with Hochstetter at first to let him do it, but ended with Hochstetter threatening him to assign someone else to the assignment, if he brought it up, again. Matthews decided that he would just tell his commanding officer that the American officer had succumbed to his injuries and had lung failure as a result killing him. He took the syringe and injected its substance into Hogan's IV stream, then smirked and put away the syringe in his pocket.

"_Auf wiedersehen_, Hogan." Matthews softly cackled and walked out of the room to go back to Klink.

* * *

Dr. Klaussner was walking down the halls late at night talking with his assistant about a patient, when they both heard an alarm go off. It was coming from Hogan's room. Both doctors rushed into the room and found the American jerking his head back and forth, gasping, as if he could no longer breathe, and had turned a slight grayish blue color.

Dr. Klaussner rushed to Hogan's side and immediately snapped his head back at his assistant.

"Get some cough medicine, water, and antibiotics, now! He's suffering from Zyklon B poisoning!" Dr. Klaussner ordered, sitting down by Hogan's side.

"Zyklon B; are you sure, Doctor?" The assistant asked, slightly in shock.

"Yes, now hurry! He'll die soon, otherwise!" Dr. Klaussner snarled.

The assistant ran off to grab the supplies and several other nurses and doctors. Dr. Klaussner turned his attention back to Hogan, gripped his shoulders, and shook him gently.

"Come on, Robert; don't leave us now, Robert...hang on, Colonel!" Dr. Klaussner ordered, a hint of fear in his voice.


	13. Chapter 13

A couple days went by, and Klink had brought back Hogan's men to the hospital to visit with Hogan. They all got to the 6th floor and after lecturing them on no escaping or it was the cooler for all of them, then Klink released them. The excited four hurried to Hogan's room and came in smiling and cheerful. They had lots of good news for their commanding officer to hear, including Kinch's plan to get rid of Matthews once and for all. Newkirk sat by Hogan's legs grabbing his left hand, Carter sat in his chair, LeBeau stood in front of Newkirk, and Kinch stood behind Carter, like they always did.

"Hey again, Gov'nor! We're back again to bother yah, sir." Newkirk joked, chuckling softly.

"Boy, do we got good news for you! Wait till Kinch tells you all about the plan to get rid of Matthews!" Carter cheered.

"It's brilliant, _mon Colonel_. It's as brilliant as one of your ideas!" LeBeau said, proud of his friend.

"Isn't that great, Gov'nor?!" Newkirk asked, smiling boldly.

No response.

Newkirk merely chuckled.

"Alright, sir; you're just pulling my leg, now. Seriously, Gov'nor, you can squeeze my hand, now."

Nothing came.

Newkirk was beginning to grow frustrated.

"Gov'nor, come on, now! I know you can hear us, sir." Newkirk spoke, getting agitated.

Nothing again.

"Blimey, Gov'nor; I don't know what's up with yah, right now, but let me just say…" Carter cut Newkirk off, who was quivering and fighting back tears in his eyes.

"Newkirk...look at his skin color."

Newkirk looked at Hogan's face more closely and noticed his skin was a slight pale gray color. He began shaking and began to grow frightened.

"Gov'nor...Gov'nor...come on, Colonel. Squeeze my hand, wiggle your toes, tap your fingers on your middle, _anything_, Gov'nor!" Newkirk begged, starting to panic.

Dr. Klaussner walked in without the four being aware and sighed sadly.

"He won't do anything, Newkirk."

Kinch walked over to Dr. Klaussner, worry read all over his face.

"Doctor...is he alright?" Kinch asked, praying the answer was 'yes'.

Dr. Klaussner sighed and shook his head slowly.

"I'm afraid Colonel Hogan has suffered a relapse of unconsciousness. A couple nights ago, someone tried poisoning and killing him with injecting Zyklon B into his IV stream." Dr. Klaussner began.

"_Zyklon B_," All the men cried.

"He'll be alright though, Doctor; won't he?" LeBeau spoke, as if he were begging Dr. Klaussner to say 'right'.

Dr. Klaussner hesitated before answering.

"...I don't know,"

"What do you mean, Richard?" Kinch asked.

"...I don't know how long Hogan suffered from the poisoning. When I found him, he was suffering convulsions, trouble breathing, and a dramatic drop in blood pressure. His lungs were collapsing, and I fear blood did not travel to the brain part of the episode." Dr. Klaussner answered, softly.

"What are you trying to say, mate?" Newkirk quivered.

Dr. Klaussner gulped and was very quiet before answering the Englishman.

"Colonel Hogan may have severe brain damage...and I don't know if he can recover from it...I don't know if he'll survive, now."

"No...no, no, no, Colonel, no!" Carter wailed. He hugged Hogan and began crying.

"_Please_, Dr. Klaussner; tell us it isn't true!" LeBeau begged, fighting back from crying.

"There's gotta be _something _you can do, Richard!" Newkirk pleaded.

"I've done everything I can for Hogan...it's up to God now whether he'll live or die...I would seriously consider ending life support." Dr. Klaussner said, sadly.

"You've gotta be bleeding joking me, Richard!" Newkirk cried.

"We can't; we don't know for certain!" LeBeau wailed.

"Richard, you gotta give Colonel a chance. He did it once, he can do it, again." Kinch said, trying to clean up the mess.

"I'll give him a week before consulting with your Kommandant regarding the choice...but I would highly recommend you men to consider the fact of Sergeant Kinchloe becoming your new commanding officer...I'm sorry, Kinch." Dr. Klaussner said, sadly. The old doctor sadly walked out of the room and left the four men to themselves.

Carter had lifted his head slightly to look at his friends, then laid his head back onto Hogan's chest and continued softly crying.

"I'll kill the sorry bloke who did this to Gov'nor." Newkirk hissed, his green eyes flashing with a vengeance.

"Colonel...come back to us, Colonel...you did it once, you can do it, again, _mon ami_. I know you can, Colonel...you're strong and stubborn...don't let this thing win, sir." LeBeau pleaded, tears streaming down his face.

"Please, Colonel...come back to us, buddy...please come back to us, Colonel." Carter whimpered.

Kinch let out a shaky sigh. He hung his head then lifted it again to his friends.

"We gotta get heading back, now, guys. Our plan has to happen, the minute we get back." Kinch sadly said.

"We can't leave the Colonel!" LeBeau pleaded.

"We've gotta do this plan for Colonel, guys! To honor him; if he dies, we have to do this to pay back for everything he ever did for us." Kinch said, kindly.

LeBeau nodded, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Yes, Kinch," LeBeau sadly said.

Newkirk nodded swallowing a knot forming in his throat.

"For Colonel," The Englishman croaked.

Carter wiped his eyes and nodded.

"Colonel, don't you quit fighting...we're gonna come back as soon as we can. I'll try to bargain with Kommandant to allow us more visits with you regarding your change in condition...we miss you, Colonel...we need you to come back, sir." Kinch said, sadly.

"Please, Gov'nor, _please_...please come back, Gov'nor." Newkirk begged, and he began softly crying himself.

* * *

The men returned to Stalag 13 and were now more determined than ever to get rid of Matthews. They would fight through this situation for honor and memory of Hogan.

The four of them were leaning against the wall of barracks two. They both had seen Burkhalter and Hochstetter go into Klink's office to talk more about the investigation of Hogan being behind the ball bearing plant explosion, and those two being around were key to the success of their plan.

They saw Matthews standing over by the front gate smoking a pipe and was near the volleyball court, where a game was taking place. Kinch glanced over at Newkirk, who was standing next to him. Carter and LeBeau were sitting on the bench to the right with their heads propped up by their hands. They were still devastated about the news about Hogan.

Kinch glanced again at Newkirk and snapped his head slightly up. The signal to have Newkirk begin the plan.

Newkirk nodded slightly and began casually making his way into the volleyball game, which the prisoners gladly made room for him, being in on the plan. A prisoner hit the volleyball as hard as they could.

"I got it, mate!" Newkirk cried.

He ran backwards to receive the volleyball and purposely ran into Matthews, and dropped the ID card to the ground casually, as if it had fallen out of Matthews's jacket from the blow.

"Watch it, England pipsqueak!" Matthews hissed.

"Sorry, mate; didn't see yah there." Newkirk said, innocently.

"Well, keep your eyes open next time!" Matthews snarled.

Newkirk nodded, then looked to the ground and grew interested in what he saw, as if he had never seen it before. He picked the ID card up and read it deeply interested in what he saw.

"What's this little thing, Colonel?" Newkirk asked, waving it in front of him. Matthews tried grabbing for it several times, but Newkirk with his talents, was too quick to be grabbed by the gestapo officer.

"Hey, everybody! We got ourselves a German prisoner!" Newkirk yelled out.

Kinch, Carter, and LeBeau all hurried to Newkirk's side.

"A German?!" Kinch asked, pretending to be stunned.

"No way, Pierre. You must be joking." LeBeau said.

"Oh, yeah; check it out. Captain Hans Freitag, Commanding Officer Major Wolfgang Hochstetter." Newkirk replied, pointing to the details on the ID.

"Give that back to me, now!" Freitag hissed.

The four men turned to the Kommandantur's and started yelling to get the three German officers' attentions and bring them outside to the scene.

"Major Hochstetter!" LeBeau cried.

"Hochstetter, Kommandant!" Kinch called out.

"Ay, Kommandant, Hochstetter!" Newkirk chimed in.

"Hochstetter, Kommandant, Burkhalter!" The four men all yelled.

The door to the Kommandantur's slammed opened, and Hochstetter steamed down over to the prisoners. Klink and Burkhalter arrived to the four men shortly afterwards.

"What is the meaning of all of this?!" Hochstetter hollered.

"Kommandant, do you know you gotta gestapo officer playing 'prisoner of war'?" Kinch asked.

"Ha! Impossible!" Klink laughed.

"I would beg to differ, Kommandant. Look at the ID that fell out of good ol' new guy, here." Newkirk said, handing the ID to Klink. Both he and Burkhalter gasped then snapped their attention to Freitag.

"Captain, what do have to say for yourself?" Klink ordered.

"Major Hochstetter sent me here to find the hidden operation these goons are hiding!" Freitag said, no longer hiding his German accent. The young man had snapped to attention as soon as his commanding officer had come into sight.

"And you failed terribly, Captain!" Hochstetter snarled stomping his foot a few times.

"And while we're being so honest with one another, _I'm _the one that poisoned and tried to kill Colonel Hogan four nights ago! I have no regrets whatsoever, knowing he _still _may die!" Freitag snapped.

All four of Hogan's men, Klink, Burkhalter, and Hochstetter all gasped.

"How _dare_ you!" LeBeau hollered.

"I swear if Colonel Hogan dies, I'll track down your no good sorry gestapo hinder and kill yah with my own two hands, and I don't care _what _Major Hochstetter will do as consequences!" Newkirk snarled. Kinch was holding onto both of Newkirk's hands to restrain him from hitting the man. It was difficult, though, since Kinch wanted to shoot the man dead himself for what he did. The four of them may lose their commanding officer and best friend because of the man standing before them.

"I will handle my own men, Corporal!" Hochstetter hissed.

"Major, I am beginning to doubt your thoughts of Colonel Hogan being involved with the explosion." Burkhalter said, turning to Hochstetter disapprovingly.

"What; you said yourself that you may have been wrong about my assumptions the entire time!" Hochstetter hissed.

"I said 'beginning to doubt', Major. Push your luck any farther, and I will close the investigation entirely!" Burkhalter threatened.

The gestapo major started turning dark red and snapped his attention to the captain, who he was considering at the moment putting in front of a firing squad.

"I told you _not _to attempt to kill Hogan! Captain, we will go back to headquarters, and not _only _will I strip you of your ranking as captain, but I will also confine you in solitary confinement until further notice!" Hochstetter hollered.

"Arrest this man!" Klink ordered, furious with Freitag.

Hochstetter slapped handcuffs on Freitag and harshly yanked him to his staff car. The outraged major started the car and drove out of camp. Burkhalter and Klink watched the car, until it disappeared, then the big general turned to face Klink.

"Klink, let us go back to your office. I wish to speak with you more regarding this 'Captain Freitag'." Burkhalter ordered.

Klink gulped.

"Yes, _Herr General_." Klink tremored.

The two Germans hurried themselves back into the Kommandantur's. After making sure they were out of sight and hearing range, the four started cheering and celebrating.

"Kinch, your plan was beautiful, mate!" Newkirk commended.

"_Très fantastique_!" LeBeau said, smiling.

"Boy, Kinch; you're almost as good as Colonel!" Carter cheered.

Kinch chuckled.

"Ah, thanks, guys." Kinch said, blushing.

"Now all we have to do is get Jerry out of Germany." Newkirk softly said.

Kinch sighed sadly.

"Not tonight, guys." Kinch said.

"Why not, Kinch?" LeBeau asked.

"I'm just upset about Colonel, is all."

The three hung their heads and began to grow sad, as well.

"Me too, mate." Newkirk said, sadly.

"I sure hope he'll make it through...I don't know what I'll do, if I lose him." Carter trembled, fighting back from crying.

"Come on, _mes amis_...let's all go grab a cup of coffee to drink." LeBeau said, sadly.

The four men sulked off to the barracks, as they began hoping and praying with all their hearts that Hogan would recover and finally come back to them once again.

* * *

A week went by, and Klink had taken Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau back to the hospital to visit with Hogan, which they prayed would not be for the last time. The four sadly knew if today no change had occurred, Dr. Klaussner would be confiding with Klink of whether or not to continue life support for the American officer. Taking their usual positions, the four began socializing with Hogan. Newkirk grabbed hold of Hogan's hand tight, begging he would once more squeeze his hand. He needed reassurance, and he needed Hogan to survive...he was not exactly sure how losing him would affect him, but his guilt had been haunting him for several nights now in dreams. Newkirk would soon go crazy, if they did not cease by tonight.

"Hi, Colonel…" Newkirk swallowed. He kept praying that tonight would not be the last night he ever spoke to Hogan, again. "We're here, Colonel; we're all here with you, sir."

"Hi, Colonel...Kinch's plan to get rid of Matthews...or Freitag, worked out really well. All we have to worry about now is getting Colonel Winters out of Germany, so we can fool Hochstetter and save the operation." Carter said, trying to force a small smile.

"You gotta come back to us, Colonel...Richard's gonna pull the plug on you, otherwise." Kinch quivered.

"We won't allow him to do so, Colonel. We know you can come back to us, again. You did it once, when the odds were against you, you can do it twice, Colonel." LeBeau pleaded with his commanding officer.

Nothing came as response.

"Blimey, Gov'nor, open your eyes, _please_, Gov'nor! I can't stand to lose yah, sir; it'll simply kill me!" Newkirk begged.

Nothing again came.

Carter began to silently cry. He knew what his commanding officer's future held in store for him.

Newkirk had tears streaming down his face, but he was angry and kept scowling.

"I'll _kill _that bloody Kraut, if I ever see him, again! I promise, Gov'nor, this won't go unavenged." Newkirk hissed, thinking of Freitag and how he wanted to strangle the man. He was going to lose the best commanding officer and friend he ever had, and it was all thanks to a man trying to poison and kill Hogan, when he was just starting to come back to his men.

"You were the best commanding officer...I ever had, _mon Colonel_." LeBeau said, beginning to weep.

"We'll never forget you, Colonel." Kinch sadly said.

Carter placed a hand on Hogan's shoulder, leaned his head on it, and continued crying.

"You'll always be my best friend, Colonel." Carter wept.

"You'll always be our Gov'nor, Colonel." Newkirk choked.

The four men all hung their heads in silence, as they were remembering their commanding officer and everything he had done for them.

The hand that Newkirk was holding in his grasp started slowly wiggling its fingers and slowly closed its hold on Newkirk's hand. It then gave it a gentle squeeze and released its hold slightly.

Praying to God he was not imagining things, Newkirk shot his head up and looked at Hogan, hope in his eyes.

"Gov'nor...Gov'nor, can you hear us?!" Newkirk begged. The Englishman snapped his head down, when he felt a hand beginning to close on his hand. Hogan's left hand closed and squeezed Newkirk's hand gently, again and softly patted his hand four times, letting his men know everything was going to be alright, and he was going to be alright, too. Newkirk beamed through his tears and looked at his friends.

"He did it, mates! Colonel squeezed my hand!" Newkirk cheered.

"Colonel, you're okay!" Carter cried, with glee.

"I knew you could do it the whole time, Colonel! I _knew _you could do it!" LeBeau said, cheerful.

"That a boy, Colonel; keep fighting, the rest of the way, now." Kinch encouraged, smiling.

Newkirk smiled at Hogan. His commanding officer had squeezed his hand, again.


	14. Chapter 14

With Freitag now gone, and Hogan squeezing Newkirk's hand and wiggling his toes, again, Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau were determined and optimistic about the operation being saved and getting Jerry out of Germany. They were hard at work creating a foolproof plan that would outsmart Klink, Burkhalter, and Hochstetter and would get them to drop the investigation entirely.

In the tunnels, Jerry had a black blanket draped over him, like a cape, and was checking to make sure the coast was clear of anyone. Satisfied, he continued running through the many tunnels trying to locate the exit. He was stopped when he ran into Kinch and Newkirk.

"Colonel, what are you doing?" Kinch ordered.

"I gotta get outta here, Kinch! I'm going mad, I tell you, mad!" Jerry begged. His pupils were dilated and gripping to Kinch's shoulders tightly.

"We know you don't wanna be in here any longer, mate, but we gotta wait, until we have an idea on what we're gonna do with you." Newkirk said, friendly.

"Get me out of here..._please_, Newkirk!" Jerry pleaded.

"Would a glass of water make you feel better?" Kinch asked, hoping the colonel would say 'yes'.

"Please," Jerry begged.

"Go get him a glass, Newkirk." Kinch said, softly.

"Got 'cha, mate." Newkirk said, and ran off to find a glass of water.

Kinch helped the man down onto a cot and sat down besides him. He could understand the feeling that the man wanted to be free and out of an inclosed space, but knew at the same time it would be a huge threat to their operation, especially now, if they did just some old plan they usually used to get flyers out of Germany.

"You're alright, Jerry...I promise, we're gonna get you out as soon as possible." Kinch said, with a kind smile.

"I need to see Robert...I need to get out of here!" Jerry said, shaking viciously.

"Colonel's just fine; we saw him the other day, and he's getting better and better. Dr. Klaussner thinks he'll even wake up soon, if he keeps up the good progress." Kinch said.

Newkirk came back with a glass of water and holding two pills in his hand. He handed them to Jerry.

"The pills will help you sleep; you'll feel better after a nice nap." Kinch said.

"No, I gotta get out of here. Hide me in Robert's room, just get me out of this tunnel!" Jerry begged.

"I can't, mate; I'm sorry. You'll feel better after taking those pills." Newkirk said, sympathetic.

Jerry sighed and swallowed the pills with a drink of water. The colonel soon relaxed, lay down on the cot, and he fell asleep within a minute.

Both Newkirk and Kinch walked off and upstairs into the barracks. Kinch closed the fake bunk and gestured for LeBeau, Carter, and Newkirk to follow him into Hogan's room. The three did so, closed the door, and listened to their current commanding officer.

"We gotta think of a plan to get Jerry out of Germany and soon. The man's soon enough gonna go crazy from being kept in one area. I read about one of the prisoners from Stalag 7 going crazy from staying in the cooler for too long and tried jumping the front gate getting him shot to death."

"We can't let that happen to Jerry; we _won't _let it happen to Jerry." LeBeau said, determined to get his friend out of Germany.

"What do we do, Kinch?" Carter asked, sitting in Hogan's chair.

"We need to do something that'll bring Kommandant's, Burkhalter's, and Hochstetter's guard down, and when we do that, boom! We come in and get Jerry out of here." Kinch said. He certainly was not short on ideas, but not one of them seemed plausible in the least.

"We could sneak Jerry into the back of Burkhalter's or Hochstetter's car." Carter suggested.

"It's a good idea, Carter, but with all the guards and gestapo swarming around, one would be bound to catch it, and it's so long to us." Kinch said, as he continued pacing.

"We can't get caught, now. Not when the Colonel's so close to waking up." LeBeau said, strong.

"You're right with _that _one, Louis. He's so close; we can't get caught now." Carter added.

Kinch smiled.

"Don't worry, guys; Colonel's gonna be just fine. Maybe if we still don't have a plan in a few days, he'll be awake and able to help us out." Kinch said, optimistic.

"Boy, would that be great!" Carter said, beaming.

"But what do we do in the meanwhile, Kinch?" LeBeau asked.

"We think of a plan, just in case that doesn't happen." Kinch replied, and he went back to pacing back and forth Hogan's room.

"We could take someone or something that one of them cares deeply about and hold them hostage." LeBeau said, trying to think.

"We could use Barbara." Carter suggested, as if it were a great idea.

Newkirk smirked, disapprovingly.

"Good luck with that one, mate. It might work for Louis, but certainly not someone like Major Hochstetter. The only thing that man cares about is himself." Newkirk commented back.

Kinch stopped pacing suddenly, snapped his fingers, and turned to the Englishman with a big smile.

"Newkirk, I think you just nailed it on the head!" Kinch cried.

"Wait; what did I say?!" Newkirk exclaimed.

"Hochstetter only cares about himself, and he's the one we want with the most guard down. We could decorate him for a special occasion!" Kinch said, thinking it was brilliant. The rest of his friends were lost and mildly confused.

"Kinch, you're not making any sense." LeBeau said, his brain spinning.

"How's that gonna bring Hochstetter's guard down and allow us to get Jerry out of camp?" Carter asked, unsure of where his friend was taking this.

"Gentlemen, there's a little something that we'll call 'Gestapo Day'." Kinch said, motioning the guys to gather around, so he could lay out his plan.

* * *

Two days went by, and Burkhalter and Hochstetter had returned to Stalag 13 to update Klink on how the investigation was going. As much as Klink just wanted the whole thing dropped and over with, so he could move on with his life, he acted like his usual, kiss up self as a way to hide his trembling fear of both men being present in his camp.

Burkhalter, as usual, was the first to arrive to camp. He got out of his car and both luftwaffe men saluted one another.

"General Burkhalter, what a pleasant surprise to have you here, again." Klink said, smiling idiotically.

"Klink," Burkhalter warned.

"I know, I know...shut up, Klink." Klink said, resigned.

Burkhalter scanned in his direction of what the prisoners were doing. They were either walking around and socializing with others, or playing games of football, soccer, or volleyball.

Not too soon afterwards did a gestapo staff car pull up in front of the Kommandantur's. Klink gulped, knowing exactly who had arrived. Hochstetter stepped out of the vehicle, and Klink saluted the gestapo officer. He returned the same salute to the idiotic Kommandant.

"Major Hochstetter, how goes the investigation?" Burkhalter asked.

"Slow; not one new piece of evidence has been found at the investigation sight." Hochstetter groaned.

"So, does that mean the investigation is over?" Klink asked, hoping to God it would be.

"Unlike you, Klink, the gestapo doesn't give up, until an assignment has been completed!" Hochstetter hissed.

Klink shook in his boots and nodded at the major, fearful of his own life. The Kommandant looked around quickly watching the other prisoners and went back to the two German officers visiting, when something hit his mind, and he snapped his eyes immediately back to barracks two. He shook his fist and groaned.

"Sergeant Kinchloe," Klink gasped.

Burkhalter and Hochstetter turned their attention to where Klink was looking and both gaped at the sight they saw. Kinch, Newkirk, LeBeau, Carter, Olsen, Baker, and several other prisoners were surrounding a huge cake, throwing streamers and confetti around, cheering about something in particular. They were all wearing party hats and had balloons taped to the door of the barracks.

"Klink, what do you call this?" Burkhalter demanded.

Klink gulped.

"General Burkhalter, if I knew that answer, I would have told you it already." Klink whimpered. He was praying to God it was not another scheme of his prisoners to get him in trouble with his superiors.

Kinch, Carter, Newkirk, and LeBeau noticed Hochstetter and Burkhalter had showed up. Knowing it was time to work their magic, the four of them ran over cheering and crying 'Major Hochstetter' and stopped right in front of the impatiently growing gestapo officer.

"What is the meaning of all this?!" Hochstetter ordered, glaring at the prisoners.

"Why, sir, I would imagine all of you know what today is, don't you?" Newkirk asked.

"Of course I know what today is." Klink retorted, then quickly realized he had no idea what his prisoners were talking about. "...what is today, again?"

"Nothing of importance to us, Klink." Burkhalter spat.

All four of the prisoners gasped.

"Don't tell me you guys don't know!" Kinch said, shocked.

"How can the Germans not remember their own created holiday?!" LeBeau exclaimed, disappointed with the German officers.

"_Holiday_; what holiday?" Hochstetter growled.

"Can you believe these guys would forget Gestapo Day?" LeBeau said, leaning to Carter.

"It's a shame, that's for sure." Carter remarked, sadly.

"_Gestapo Day_," Klink, Burkhalter, and Hochstetter exclaimed.

"The day to celebrate the gestapo and all their fine work they do for Germany? Come on, Kommandant; I was for sure _you _would remember it!" Kinch said.

"Of _course_ I remember…" Klink started chuckling, then swallowed with fear. How was he not aware of such a holiday? He would have had Schultz go out and get supplies to decorate the entire camp for Hochstetter, had he known of the upcoming celebration.

"Yes, Klink...how _did _you forget such a holiday?" Hochstetter sneered. He was just as unaware of the holiday as the other two were, but he decided since it was a chance to be glorified by others, he would jump at the chance to have such an opportunity.

Klink gulped and began quivering.

"...I've been very busy, Major." Klink tremored.

Hochstetter turned back to face the prisoners, when Kinch started talking, again.

"And since you're our favorite gestapo officer, we thought 'why not celebrate a fine officer'?"

"That's right, sir. You're the meanest, most ruthless, most intimidating and petrifying gestapo officer we've ever met!" Newkirk said proud.

"Corporal Newkirk, that's enough!" Klink ordered, though his voice was filled with horror of something terrifying about to go down.

Hochstetter turned his head slightly and started blushing.

"You uh...you think so, huh?" Hochstetter asked, bashful.

"Oh, absolutely, Major. No other gestapo officer scares us more." Newkirk insisted, beaming.

"Why, you give me nightmares in my sleep so often, it's like you live here. And let me tell you a thing or two, Major. Why just the other day I…" Newkirk cut of Carter.

"Please, Andrew; don't exhausted the man. He's very busy, you know."

"Would you care for some cake, Major Hochstetter? It's vanilla." LeBeau prodded.

"My favorite," Hochstetter said, smiling. He turned to Klink, but with more malice in his grin, now. "Klink, your prisoners know how to treat the gestapo better than _you _do."

Klink began laughing, but it quickly took to trembling fear and terror.

Hochstetter was escorted over to the party area, leaving Burkhalter and Klink to discuss amongst themselves.

"Gestapo Day...I've never heard of such a thing." General Burkhalter said, suspiciously watching the prisoners interact with the gestapo major in a friendly matter for once.

"First time I've heard it myself, _Herr General_." Klink replied.

"Very peculiar I'm hearing of it, now."

Klink gulped.

"Wouldn't you much rather discuss the investigation, General Burkhalter?" Klink whimpered.

Burkhalter turned to Klink and eyed him carefully, then turned back to watch Hochstetter interact with the prisoners of barracks two.

"_Foooorrrrr he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow. For he's a jolly good feelllooow, which nobody can deny. That nobody can deny, that nobody can deny. For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow. For he's a jolly good feeellllloooooooow...which nobody can deny_!" Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, LeBeau, Olsen, and Baker sang. When the finished, they clapped their hands and cheered for the gestapo officer.

"Thank you, thank you," Hochstetter said, feeling glorified.

"You wanna try a piece of cake, Major? It's really good!" Carter urged.

"No, I think I will save it to share with my fellow commanding crew back at headquarters. If you'll just help me carry the cake to my car, I'll put it on the top of my car and bring it back there, when I leave here." Hochstetter said, friendly. The prisoners had a hard time holding back their real reactions. It was the first time they had ever seen Hochstetter be nice and friendly to others.

Kinch and Newkirk carried the cake and placed it on top of the gestapo staff car. Unknowing to the gestapo major, Jerry was hiding in a secret compartment in the pan that held the cake. After getting it situated, Carter and LeBeau soon joined Kinch and Newkirk, and the four of them threw confetti and streamers over Hochstetter covering the gestapo officer from head to toe. The four prisoners blew into party kazoos and started cheering.

"That's enough, Sergeant Kinchloe." Hochstetter growled, starting to go back to his normal grouchy self.

Knowing not to push it any further, Kinch escorted his men away from Hochstetter back to the party area, leaving the three German officers to themselves.

"Major Hochstetter, I'm so sorry for the outrageous behavior of my prisoners. Punishment will not be overlooked, I promise you." Klink said, as he reached out to brush off the decorations now all over Hochstetter's uniform, hair, and shoes. Hochstetter held up his hand and brushed himself off of the decorations. It did not help much, but it would do, until he got back to Hammelburg headquarters and finish the rest of it.

"No bother, Klink; your prisoners were never properly trained, _anyways_." Hochstetter sneered.

Klink gulped and shook in his boots.

"Shall we continue our business in your office, Klink?" Burkhalter asked. Klink, however, knew it was not an option.

"Yes, General Burkhalter; excellent idea!" Klink said, giving a smile hiding his obvious fear.

The three Germans entered into the Kommandantur's to continue the matters about the investigation of Hogan's possible involvement of the ball bearing plant explosion.

* * *

Hours passed by and after about 7:00 at night, Hochstetter finally left camp. Burkhalter was staying over for a night to discuss more with Klink regarding the current investigation going on. Olsen had been keeping watch and alternating every two hours with Baker. Olsen saw the two German officers leave, closed the door, and walked to the table smiling, where Kinch, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter were divulged in a game of gin.

"Package has left the post office, Papa Bear." Olsen spoke, proud.

"Men, we did it!" Kinch said, happy.

Newkirk, LeBeau, and Carter all started cheering.

"We saved the operation!" LeBeau cheered.

"We can finally go back to normal around here!" Newkirk sighed with relief.

"Whoa, guys; not yet. We still have to get Burkhalter to call off the entire investigation, which I'm not too worried about." Kinch said, shrugging his shoulders innocently.

"Why not, _mon ami_?"

"Oh, I think our friend Major Hochstetter will take care of that problem for us." Kinch said, with a mischievous grin.


	15. Chapter 15

_Notice: Shout out to my awesome friend for helping me create this awesome conversation between Klink, Burkhalter, and Hochstetter! You are amazing! :)_

* * *

The next day had arrived, and Burkhalter was in Klink's office talking to him further regarding the investigation. Hochstetter soon arrived after breakfast, and he was red in the face and absolutely furious with something. He too joined Burkhalter and Klink in the Kommandant's office and told him his outrageous story.

"Colonel Hogan is behind it all, I tell you!" Hochstetter bellowed.

Klink had slightly leaned back in his chair and was quivering, seeing how angry the gestapo major was.

"Colonel Jerry Winters," Klink gasped, now realizing who the major was talking about. "He's the best commanding officer currently in the United States Army Air Corps!"

All three of them had found out early that morning that Jerry had escaped out of Germany sometime during the night, reading the morning paper or listening to the morning radio news that he had safely made it back to London unharmed.

"I know that, Klink! Would I be so furious of his escape out of Germany, otherwise?!" Hochstetter snarled.

Klink sunk further down into his chair, hoping it would make him disappear from sight. The last thing he wanted this morning was to be involved in an argument between Burkhalter and Hochstetter.

Burkhalter raised an eyebrow then got up from his chair and looked painstakingly into Hochstetter's eyes.

"Major...did I hear you just say that you believe Colonel Jerry Winters was somehow hiding in the cake you took home with you the other day, arrived at gestapo headquarters, and escape away from you, while in plain sight?" Burkhalter questioned carefully.

"That's _exactly _what I'm saying, General!" Hochstetter snarled.

Burkhalter sighed and shook his head.

"Major Hochstetter, I think you need some cold, fresh air to clear your head." Burkhalter spoke, hinting at what he was referring to.

"But, _Herr General_; it's the truth! Those delinquents of Klink's have a secret tunnel and everything!" Hochstetter snapped. He slammed his fist on Klink's desk, making the old Kommandant jump and slouch back even further.

"And you've also stated that the one, Sergeant Carter, is a brilliant chemist who is an explosives expert. Those delinquents of Klink's are no smarter than Klink _himself_."

"I heard it! Klink's so blindsided by Hogan's constant excuses, he can't see and hear what's in front of his stupid, idiotic eyes and ears! Question the man behind it all himself!"

"Because anyone can question an unconscious man. And you also don't seem to be able to see what's in front of _your _eyes...too much Schnapps, perhaps, Major?"

"What's in front of my eyes, General?" Hochstetter warned. "What are you trying to say to me? Are you questioning the ways of the gestapo?!"

"Only the hallucinations and delusions of a crazy man." Burkhalter said, dryly.

"But, _Herr General_, I…"

"I believe you are in need of a nice, long rest, Major. You should consider putting in for a leave."

Klink swallowed and decided to interfere at this point of the conversation. He stood up, still trembling, and opened his mouth.

"May I just say something regarding this whole situation?"

"No, you may not!" Burkhalter spat.

"But..._Herr General_, I just have one little suggestion that I…"

"Shut up, Klink!"

"Yes, sir; shutting up, sir."

Klink tremored back down into his seat and continued witnessing the argumentation going around his office. How he wished for Hogan to be there right now to stop all of it with his usual ways of persuasion to draw the two mens' minds away from the matter at hands.

Burkhalter and Hochstetter turned their attention away from the trembling bimbo and continued their discussion...or argument, as you will.

"Now, General Burkhalter, I am 100% honest with you, when I tell you that Colonel Hogan is behind all of these sabotages. Not just _this _one, but _all _of the ones that have occurred in this general area. He has a whole operation underneath a bunk bed in his barracks!" Hochstetter snapped.

"Even if a man _could _fit an entire operation beneath a bunk bed, and even _if _you did drive out of camp underneath a giant cake, and even _if _the prisoners were celebrating an unknown holiday to us, that...I can't believe what I'm saying." Burkhalter said, surprised at what was coming out of his mouth. He was beginning to feel as stupid as how he thought of Klink himself.

"So, you believe me, when I say that Colonel Hogan's behind all of this! I bet the man's faking his own coma, even! The man's insane, I tell you, and he'll completely destroy the entire Third Reich!"

"Major Hochstetter, the only man who might destroy the Third Reich right now is _you _with your rambling!"

"General Burkhalter…"

"Major, do not test my patience with your stories anymore than you already have!" Burkhalter warned, coldly.

As Hochstetter was about to reply, Klink, again, decided the urge to butt in.

"Can I say something now, General Burkhalter? And may I say, I admire your excellent interrogation skills and…" Klink was cut off by the now more than mildly aggravated general.

"Get on with it, Klink." Burkhalter demanded.

"Well, General Burkhalter, as much as I admire your intelligence and excellent work in the Third Reich, I'm still confused." Klink began.

"Ha! Ain't _that _a shock!" Hochstetter hissed.

Burkhalter glared harshly at Hochstetter to zip it and let Klink finish his thought.

"Now, General...why would Colonel Hogan fake being in a coma?" Klink finished.

"I have no idea, Klink. Perhaps the Major could enlighten us, here." Burkhalter sneered, turning to Hochstetter.

The major had full blown lost it, now. He was as red as the swastika wrap on his arm, and his eyes were consumed with fire and rage.

"Well, how else would he get away with something so great as this?! He probably thinks that if he acts so 'deathly ill', we won't be able to question him regarding my _honest _opinion!" Hochstetter shot back.

"Now that we've reached this point in discussion, how do you know the crush cap you found that night belonged to Colonel Hogan; for all we know, it could've just as well belonged to Colonel Jerry Winters." Burkhalter said, observantly.

Klink's eyes darted back and forth from Burkhalter to Hochstetter.

Hochstetter was about to protest, then stopped. That thought had never occurred to him. No, he thought. Was he going to be out stumped by Hogan, again? He would not let that happen. He had come too far to lose this fight now. He knew the American was behind it, and would not quit fighting, until he got Burkhalter to give in and agree. Klink would be easy to persuade. Being such a kiss up, he would instantly agree with Burkhalter's opinion.

"I didn't think so." Burkhalter said back, smiling wickedly.

"General Burkhalter, I am convinced with all the evidence I have gathered so far that.." Hochstetter was cut of by an enraged General Burkhalter.

"Major, that's enough! I have had it up to _here _with your false accusations regarding Colonel Hogan's involvement with the explosion! You will call off the investigation at once and report back to gestapo headquarters to carry out regular routine!" Burkhalter ordered.

"NO!" Hochstetter hollered.

Klink sighed with relief, then quickly fixed composure and went back to sitting up straight and nodding to Burkhalter.

"I agree with you, sir; your brilliant mind at work once again!" Klink said, trying to force a smile. It quickly faded, when Burkhalter gave a warning glare at him and turned back to Hochstetter.

"As of now, the investigation regarding Colonel Hogan's involvement in the explosion is officially closed." Burkhalter ordered.

"BAH!" Hochstetter bellowed. He stomped out of Klink's office and slammed the doors exiting Klink's office and the Kommandantur's. He got into his staff car and immediately drove off leaving Stalag 13.

* * *

Kinch, Carter, Newkirk, and LeBeau had been listening to everything in Klink's office via the coffee pot in Hogan's room. As soon as Hochstetter left the office, Kinch had turned off and put away the coffee pot. The four of them started cheering and celebrating.

"We did it!" LeBeau cried.

"We saved the operation, guys!" Carter cheered.

"Oh, I can _finally _smoke a cigarette in peace!" Newkirk said, as he grabbed one out of his pocket. He lit it up and began to take a drag on it.

"Way to go, guys." Kinch said, proud of everyone.

"It was _your _idea, _mon ami_; not ours!" LeBeau pointed out.

"Yeah; Kinch deserves all the credit." Carter added.

"Hey; I couldn't have made a good looking cake had it not been for LeBeau." Kinch said, smiling at the little Frenchman.

LeBeau could not help but blush and be bashful.

"It's mere skill, I tell you." LeBeau blushed.

"Hey, you can talk to Barbara now without any danger, Louis!" Carter said.

"Oh," LeBeau said, beginning to dream of Hochstetter's niece. "_Ma petite chérie_."

Newkirk glared over at Carter.

"Great, Andrew; way to get him on _that_, again!" Newkirk moaned.

Carter shrugged his shoulders innocently.

"Sorry, buddy; I thought it was a good thing." Carter meekly said.

Newkirk rolled his eyes and took another drag on his cigarette. The only problem they had now was keeping LeBeau from getting lovesick and madly thinking 24-7 of Barbara. The Englishman did find her a beautiful lady, but he knew she was also trouble being related to Hochstetter. Loyal to the Underground or not, she still could turn around on them at a second notice and blab to her uncle about everything. It was a risk he would not take.

"She's pure, Pierre! I tell you she would not do a single thing to hurt us!" LeBeau said, defending his love.

"You sound like as if Marya were here, and Colonel was doubting her for some reason." Kinch said, holding back from laughing.

"She's _better _than Marya. The voice of angel, the look of the sun, she's beautiful, _mon ami_! So exquisite and unique!" LeBeau said, daydreaming of Barbara.

"Louis, I'm gonna beat yah to a ruddy pulp, if yah don't snap out of this phase you're in." Newkirk warned, highly irritated with his friend.

Carter had grown quiet and was frowning slightly. Kinch turned to look at him confused.

"Carter, what's wrong; you should be celebrating! We saved the operation!" Kinch said, trying to make his friend more upbeat.

"It's just bringing up Colonel..._he _should be here with us." Carter sadly said.

Newkirk sighed and agreed with his fellow mate.

"Andrew's right, Kinch; he should be here to celebrate with us." Newkirk spoke, depressed.

Even LeBeau sighed and grew sad.

"_Oui_...he's a part of this team as much as the rest of us. If not, _more_!" LeBeau added in.

Kinch then sighed and agreed with the rest of them. Hogan had a missing effect on all of them. They all wanted him there with them. Celebrating, cheering, laughing, and making jokes to one another...the American officer was sadly still in a hospital bed fighting for his life and still had a good chance of not surviving. Kinch then thought of an idea that might make them all feel better.

"I know something that might make us feel better." Kinch said, thinking it was an alright idea.

"What is it, mate?" Newkirk asked, depressed.

"Can it bring the Colonel back to us?" LeBeau questioned, sadly.

Kinch sighed.

"No, it's not _that _great, but it'll help us well enough." Kinch started. "How about we hold off on the celebration? When Colonel finally wakes up, we can all go to the hospital and celebrate with him there."

"Hey, mate; that's a _splendid _idea!" Newkirk cheered.

"I like the sound of that, _mon ami_." LeBeau agreed.

"That way Colonel can celebrate with us." Carter added in.

Newkirk rolled his eyes.

"I think that's already been established, Andrew." Newkirk said, playfully.

Carter slouched down feeling a little embarrassed.

"Sorry," He simply spoke.

"Well," Kinch sighed. "At least there's _one _good thing that came out of this."

"What's that, mate?" Newkirk asked, taking another drag on his cigarette.

"We can finally go back to having things slightly normal around here, again."

* * *

Two months had gone by, since Hogan had been injured in the ball bearing explosion. It was the middle of July, so most of the time the prisoners were sitting in the shade with bottles of water or playing sports with others outside. Hardly no one stayed in the barracks, since it was so hot in them during the day. Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau, however, were a different story.

Kinch, Newkirk, and LeBeau were playing a game of gin, while Carter sat next to LeBeau and was wandering his mind with thoughts. He had a grim expression on his face and sighed sadly once and a while.

After a while, Newkirk grew concerned for his best friend.

"What's the matter, Andrew? Yah look awful down for some reason." Newkirk said.

"I'm alright...I'm just sad today, is all." Carter meekly replied.

Newkirk was puzzled for a moment, then it dawned on him why Carter was so saddened by today's arrival.

"Oh yeah; it's the Gov'nor's birthday...been so wound up with getting things back to normal around here and with all those missions assigned to us last week, I guess it slipped my mind." Newkirk said, growing sad now. He stared at the cards without really seeing them and slowly put his hand down on the table.

LeBeau threw in his hand and sighed. He could not keep pretending that today was just another day. Now that Carter had said something, he was free to open up and show his displeasement. The little Frenchman nodded.

"_Oui, mon ami_. Instead of the Colonel being here with us to celebrate, he continues to lay in a hospital bed fighting for survival." LeBeau said, depressed.

"I can't believe it's been two months already, and Colonel's _still _hasn't come out of his coma." Newkirk sadly said.

"I hope this doesn't mean anything." Carter whimpered.

"We'll know something soon enough, guys. Colonel wouldn't want us to worry about him, though." Kinch said, trying to lie to himself. He was just as worried about Hogan coming back as much as the rest of him. He was starting to subscumb to despair and pessimism. He was sure that Hogan would have waken up by now. Sadly, he had not, and the men were starting to have second thoughts unintentionally.

"Well, then why are we all so terrified, then?" LeBeau asked.

The four of them sat in silence, when the barracks door opened, and Klink came barging in. He seemed to be out of breath and fear had grown all over his face. The four prisoners turned to face the panting Kommandant and grew petrified.

"Kommandant, is everything alright?" Kinch asked, trying to keep his cool.

"I just got a call from the hospital. Colonel Hogan's condition has changed." Klink gasped.

"Good? Bad? What, Kommandant?" Newkirk exclaimed, shooting out of his seat.

"I don't know. Dr. Klaussner would not specify. All he said was to bring you four to the hospital right away." Klink replied.

"Oh, God; _please _don't be anything bad, sweet Heavenly father!" LeBeau pleaded, putting his hands together and staring to the ceiling.

"Come on, guys. The sooner we get there, the better." Kinch ordered.

The four of them followed Klink out to his car and left for the hospital at once.


	16. Chapter 16

_Notice: I can't believe this story has finally come to its end! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, first off! I love reading them and hearing your feedback! I have a couple of shout outs to make, before you read this last chapter. I want to thank my amazing friend, Danzinora Switch, who helped me create a couple of scenes and conversations in this story! I literally don't think this story would've been possible without her help! I then wanna thank ColHogan, for being my role model on this site (I hope she's reading this), Abracadebra for her constructive criticism and support for all my HH stories, and most importantly, my awesome beta reader and new friend, Gaerwn! You rock! Here's my last chapter! I've loved writing for all of you! Wish me luck on my leave of writing! _

* * *

Klink and the four prisoners all shot out of the elevator like a gun bullet frantically searching for Dr. Klaussner. They found the old man coming out from what looked like an operating room and immediately came to his side.

"Doctor, how is he?" Klink pleaded.

"Is mon Colonel alright?" LeBeau cried.

"Please, sir; tell me he's alright!" Newkirk begged.

Dr. Klaussner did not answer any of them. He simply stared at them with a blank expression on his face.

"Come on, Doctor! You're killing us!" Kinch said, speaking for all four of them, disregarding Klink.

Dr. Klaussner turned to face the hall to Hogan's room and signaled for the four of Hogan's men to follow, as he started making his way down to the room.

Kinch, Carter, Newkirk, and LeBeau frantically followed the old doctor, leaving Klink to himself. The old Kommandant started pacing and biting his fingers through his leather gloves. Please, God; let Colonel Hogan be alright, he thought to himself.

Dr. Klaussner, Kinch, Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau reached Hogan's room. Dr. Klaussner was about to open the door, when Kinch stopped him.

"Richard, wait,"

The elderly doctor turned to face Kinch, crossed his arms, and gave his attention to the current commanding officer.

"Yes, Kinch," Dr. Klaussner said.

"Please, Richard...I'm begging you...please tell us if Colonel Hogan's alright! What happened?!" Kinch pleaded.

Dr. Klaussner was silent for a minute before answering. "You'll find out soon enough."

The four of them shut their eyes tightly, to s man, terrified of what they see when the door finally opened. The four prisoners heard a 'click' and opened their eyes. Dr. Klaussner had opened the door and gestured for them to enter.

At first, LeBeau and Carter were fidgeting nervously, while Newkirk and Kinch were stoic and stone-faced. They were anxious, nervous, frightened, horrified of what might come into sight as soon as they entered that hospital room. They all eventually came to their senses and realized they had to do this for their commanding officer. All of them releasing a huge, shaky breath, the four of them finally made their way slowly into the hospital room.

LeBeau was the first one to enter. The room looked the exact same, but his jaw dropped and eyes bugged out the minute he saw Hogan slightly sitting up in bed and smiling at his visitor. He was no longer in need of oxygen assistance, but most importantly, he was awake and conscious, again!

"Mon Colonel!" LeBeau cried. The little Frenchman ran to Hogan and hugged him. The American officer simply gave a weak smile and hugged back gently still being so weak.

Newkirk bolted in next hearing LeBeau and had the same reaction.

"Gov'nor!" Newkirk cheered. He ran to stand besides LeBeau.

Kinch then came in and smiled.

"Colonel...you're awake!" Kinch gasped, smiling. He too then ran to stand by on LeBeau's other side.

Carter was the last to walk in and had a great big smile grow on his face.

"Colonel! You're okay!" Carter cheered. The young sergeant ran to his commanding officer and gave him a big hug. Hogan again smiled and gave him a hug back. Kinch then let Carter sit down in his chair and gave Hogan a side hug and patting his back. Finally, the commanding officer turned to face Newkirk and smiled at him. His Englishman had been standing there smiling with his hands in his jacket pockets. He was hesitant on whether or not to hug Hogan. Hogan silently smirked then weakly held out his arms.

"Get over here, Newkirk." Hogan said, softly. His voice was soft and tired, but the tone was the same.

Newkirk sighed smiling and walked over to give Hogan a nice hug. Hogan smiled and returned him the same.

After the four of them had gotten their hugs and welcomed back their commanding officer with loving arms, they all took their usual spots and began talking with one another.

"When did you wake up, Colonel?" Kinch asked.

"Oh...I've been awake for about an hour or two...I was resting my eyes, when I heard the door open." Hogan answered.

"Oh...we're sorry, Colonel. Did we wake you?"

"No...I've been asleep for about two and a half months. I don't think I need anymore for a while."

"You deserve all the rest you can get, Colonel!" LeBeau said, proud.

Hogan softly chuckled.

"I'll be alright. I'll just need some time to get my strength back is all." Hogan said.

"How's your pneumonia, Gov'nor?" Newkirk asked.

"It's all gone," Hogan started. He swallowed and continued. "It cleared up after my 'episode', as Richard said it was."

"Colonel, I don't think I've ever been more scared in my life than when we thought we were gonna lose you." Carter said trembling.

"More than the operation almost being exposed?" Hogan remarked with a suspicious look.

"You heard us, Colonel?" LeBeau gasped.

"Why else do you think I nearly crushed Newkirk's hand, when he threatened to kill Freitag?" The commanding officer replied.

"Every single word?" Carter asked.

"Well, not every word...I went in and out of it every once and a while, but I heard enough." Hogan replied.

"Don't worry, sir; I kept myself under control...it was almost impossible, though, when he called you that filthy Hitler crook." Newkirk said, trying to keep himself from grinding his teeth. The thought of that mongrel was enough for the four of them to feel blood pumping in their veins.

"He was disgusting, Colonel!" LeBeau sneered, crossing his arms.

"How did you get rid of him?" Hogan asked.

"We'll tell you all about it, when you're feeling all better, Colonel." Kinch said, smiling.

"I don't think I can wait that long to hear about this 'Barbara'." Hogan said, turning to LeBeau smiling.

"Blimey, Gov'nor; don't get Louis here started, again! One of the things I wished you hadn't heard." Newkirk grumbled.

"There is nothing wrong with being in love, Pierre." LeBeau sneered, irritated with his friend's disapproval of Barbara.

Hogan smirked and turned to Carter.

"Carter, how are you doing?" He asked the young sergeant.

"Oh, I'm fine now, Colonel. Ooooo! By the way, happy birthday, sir." Carter replied, smiling.

"Oh yeah; happy birthday, Colonel." Kinch added.

"Happy birthday, Colonel." LeBeau said, smiling.

"Happy birthday, Gov'nor." Newkirk said, grinning.

Hogan smirked.

"Well, thank you." He said, blushing.

"We'll have a huge birthday party for you, when you get back to camp, sir." Newkirk said.

"I'll make your favorite cake, Colonel!" LeBeau said, dreaming of his homemade chocolate cake with moist chocolate frosting and topped with chocolate chips.

"And I'll be looking forward to it...and Newkirk." Hogan started.

"Yeah, Gov'nor," Newkirk said.

"Don't ever blame yourself for something happening to me...what happened wasn't your fault...it wasn't anybody's fault...understand?"

Newkirk smiled and nodded.

"Yes, Gov'nor." Newkirk answered. As much as he tried taking the words to heart, until Hogan was back on his feet again, the Englishman still felt a slight twinge of guilt about everything.

Hogan smiled at all of his men, and they continued talking with one another.

* * *

Hogan came home from the hospital two weeks after that. The men let him rest for another two weeks, before they threw him his belated birthday party they had promised him.

Hogan sat in his usual spot, his crush cap on and his jacket sitting besides him smiling, as he listened to LeBeau, Newkirk, Kinch, and Carter sing 'Happy Birthday' to him. When they got to the third line, 'Colonel' and 'Gov'nor' were heard within one another, then they finished singing. The American officer closed his eyes for a brief moment then blew out his candles, making his men start cheering.

Newkirk, Kinch, and Carter sat down at the table, as LeBeau starting cutting the cake for everyone.

"Did you like my present, Colonel?" Carter asked, hoping he would say 'yes'.

Hogan smirked.

"Yes, Carter; I've never before got a homemade bow and arrow for my birthday."

"Made it just for you, sir."

LeBeau had finished giving everyone cake and all of them sat down and began eating and talking.

"What about my journal I gave yah, Gov'nor?" Newkirk asked.

"It's a nice one. Looks a lot like the one Klink got that he never uses." Hogan replied, taking a bite of his favorite cake.

Newkirk smiled mischievously.

"It is his, sir." Newkirk said, holding back from laughter.

Hogan could not help but chuckle. He had missed his mens' sneaky behavior that drove Klink absolutely up a wall.

"Newkirk, you're terrible." Hogan teased.

"Just let me know, when yah need my ten magic fingers, Gov'nor!" Newkirk said, wiggling his fingers in the air proud.

"I can't wait for you to meet Barbara, Colonel. She's magnificent, I tell you." LeBeau said, dreaming off on his love.

"Blimey, Louis; I don't think Colonel here cares for you dating a Hochstetter." Newkirk moaned.

"She is nothing like that filthy bosche. He may be her uncle, but she's one of a kind." LeBeau said, dreamy.

"Yeah...so's her uncle." Newkirk said, slightly unamused.

Kinch chuckled and turned to Hogan.

"Pretty much what happened around here, while you were away, Colonel."

Hogan smirked and shook his head.

"Colonel...what's your favorite present out of all of ours?" Carter asked, randomly.

"Colonel doesn't pick favorites; you know that, Andrew." Newkirk remarked, stunned.

"I was just wondering was all. Geesh, can a guy ask a question?"

"Actually, I do have a favorite present, this year." Hogan said, smiling.

"What is it?" Kinch asked.

"It's mine, isn't it, mon Colonel." LeBeau said, sure of himself.

"A picture of you and Barbara is a present for yourself, Louis. Not the Gov'nor." Newkirk remarked.

LeBeau glared at the Englishman and turned to Hogan.

"It's not any of yours." Hogan started.

"Oh," Carter said, sadly.

The rest of them started to frown, when Hogan grew a smile on his face.

"I'm home with all of you, again." He finished, sincerely.

And with that, the five of them all smiled and continued having their celebration talking to one another and eating birthday cake. Things were finally back to normal...well...normal for Stalag 13, at least.


End file.
